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The new technology was evaluated by the International Telecommunication Union for use as a standard in cities
ETSETB researchers increase the speed and coverage of the optical fibre access network
The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), in collaboration with seven other European organisations and companies, has developed a new type of access network using existing cabling. The aim is to take optical fibre to homes more quickly, to increase its capacity for device connection and to increase coverage. A pilot test was carried out in Pisa, Italy within the framework of a European project.
17/03/2016
The project Cost-Effective Coherent Ultra-Dense WDM-PON for Lambda-to-the-User Access Networks (Coconut) is led by the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa, Italy and its technical director is Josep Prat, a researcher of the Optical Communications Group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC).
Optical fibre networks have recently undergone exponential growth in data usage and in the number of devices connected. Currently, the devices that connect to networks include computers, smart phones, tablets, smart TVs and electrical appliances. Users are offered functions that were unthinkable a few years ago, such as downloading high-resolution videos and images and having conversations online. Existing networks allow up to 32 devices to be connected at a maximum speed of 80 megabytes per second. They have a single wavelength shared by many users.
The Coconut project aims to use the home wavelength concept to multiply the information capacity of these networks, thus satisfying the growing demand for access while improving the quality of service. The systems developed will allow the networks to accept more devices (up to 256 at a speed of 1,250 megabytes per second each), offering faster connectivity and taking the service to areas that do not currently have this type of connection.
"The field test of the systems (user equipment and exchange equipment) developed for the Coconut research project in February was successful. The systems were connected to a public optical fibre network in Pisa, Italy", explains researcher Josep Prat, a professor at the UPC's Barcelona School of Telecommunications Engineering. "When the project was launched after three years' work, both the European Union evaluators and the users of the pilot test made a positive assessment of the results obtained in Pisa". The new system is scheduled for industrial development and marketing by the companies in the project consortium. "It was presented to the International Telecommunication Union for evaluation as a future standard to be used in cities", adds the researcher.
With funding of €4 million, Coconut is one of the Specific Targeted Research Projects (STREP) of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. The STREP projects aim to demonstrate the feasibility of new technologies or to learn more about products, processes or services.
The UPC is one of the eight promoters of the project from five European countries: Spain, France, Greece, the UK and Sweden. In addition to Josep Prat, the researchers Ivan Cano, Victor Polo, Vicent Sales and Josep Segarra, of the UPC's Optical Communications Group, and five doctoral students of the same group also took part in the project.
The other participants are the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa (which tested the project); Athens Information Technology (AIT) and Optronics Technologies in Greece; the Swedish company Ericsson; the Catalan company Promax Electrònica; the French laboratory III-V Lab; and the British telephone operator British Telecom.
Optical fibre networks have recently undergone exponential growth in data usage and in the number of devices connected. Currently, the devices that connect to networks include computers, smart phones, tablets, smart TVs and electrical appliances. Users are offered functions that were unthinkable a few years ago, such as downloading high-resolution videos and images and having conversations online. Existing networks allow up to 32 devices to be connected at a maximum speed of 80 megabytes per second. They have a single wavelength shared by many users.
The Coconut project aims to use the home wavelength concept to multiply the information capacity of these networks, thus satisfying the growing demand for access while improving the quality of service. The systems developed will allow the networks to accept more devices (up to 256 at a speed of 1,250 megabytes per second each), offering faster connectivity and taking the service to areas that do not currently have this type of connection.
"The field test of the systems (user equipment and exchange equipment) developed for the Coconut research project in February was successful. The systems were connected to a public optical fibre network in Pisa, Italy", explains researcher Josep Prat, a professor at the UPC's Barcelona School of Telecommunications Engineering. "When the project was launched after three years' work, both the European Union evaluators and the users of the pilot test made a positive assessment of the results obtained in Pisa". The new system is scheduled for industrial development and marketing by the companies in the project consortium. "It was presented to the International Telecommunication Union for evaluation as a future standard to be used in cities", adds the researcher.
With funding of €4 million, Coconut is one of the Specific Targeted Research Projects (STREP) of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. The STREP projects aim to demonstrate the feasibility of new technologies or to learn more about products, processes or services.
The UPC is one of the eight promoters of the project from five European countries: Spain, France, Greece, the UK and Sweden. In addition to Josep Prat, the researchers Ivan Cano, Victor Polo, Vicent Sales and Josep Segarra, of the UPC's Optical Communications Group, and five doctoral students of the same group also took part in the project.
The other participants are the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa (which tested the project); Athens Information Technology (AIT) and Optronics Technologies in Greece; the Swedish company Ericsson; the Catalan company Promax Electrònica; the French laboratory III-V Lab; and the British telephone operator British Telecom.
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