Oclaro shipping 40-Gbps coherent modules in volume

Oclaro Inc. (NASDAQ: OCLR) says it has begun shipping its MI 5000XM 40-Gbps coherent modules in volume. Company sources also tell Lightwave that 100-Gbps versions are on track for release early next year.

The company touts OSNR performance, low power consumption, and high chromatic and polarization mode dispersion tolerance as attributes of the MI 5000XM transponder. The module will perform well in both dispersion managed and un-managed applications and will support distances up to 3000 km without optical dispersion compensation, Oclaro adds. It uses an industry standard i2c interface and provides fully autonomous setup and control.

Work on the MI 5000XM 40-Gbps module began at Mintera Networks, which Oclaro acquired in 2010 (see “Oclaro acquires Mintera with 40, 100 Gbps in mind”). Terry Unter, former CEO at Mintera and now president and general manager, Optical Networks Solutions at Oclaro, said at OFC/NFOEC this past March that the modules were near the sampling stage. Per Hansen, who runs product marketing within Oclaro’s Optical Network Solutions business, said last week that the module is now shipping to multiple customers within the top ten network equipment manufacturers. He declined to name them.

The 40-Gbps optical transponder leverages silicon from ClariPhy Communications, in whom Oclaro invested in 2010 (see “Oclaro: ClariPhy deal boosts 100G component and module play”). The two companies are also collaborating on Oclaro’s upcoming 100-Gbps transponder. Hansen says the high-speed module, which will conform to the OIF’s 100G MSA, should be in production-ready form when it’s released next year. How quickly it achieves full production will depend on customers’ requirements, he concluded.

October 25, 2011

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