We all are hearing about the onset of 5G networks. 5G comes with the promise to connect people and things via intelligent networks and apps and transform the way we live and work. All of this is going to generate massive amounts of data and 5G is the solution to achieve the highest possible performance.
However, before 5G becomes possible around the world, we need to build the network infrastructure to accommodate billions of devices and enormous amounts of traffic that will be sent over the network.
In this blog, we will see how 5G spurs the demand for fiber optics even more. What role do passive optical components play in making 5G possible?
How does 5G spur the demand for fiber optics even more?
An increasing number of new applications and users demand high data rates. It increases data traffic at a rate of more than 50 percent per year per head. Besides, the emergence of new technologies, such as Internet of Things (IoT) and virtual reality (VR) will accelerate the demand for high data rates more than ever. To address this challenge, 5G is being introduced.
5G networks use different optical technologies and concepts, such as a radio-over-fiber (RoF) network, passive optical network (PON), light fidelity (Li-Fi), optical millimeter wavelength bridge, etc. to achieve high data rate and capacity.
A Passive Optical Network (PON) is a fiber optic network to deliver broadband network access to end-customers. It uses ans architecture that implements a point-to-multipoint topology in which a single optical fiber serves multiple endpoints by utilizing passive optical splitters – one of the most common passive optical components in the fiber optic communication industry.
Besides, an optical network utilizes a range of optical passive components, including branching components, such as DWDMs, optical isolators, optical circulators, and optical filters.
Since 5G needs Passive Optical Networks to meet a variety of challenges, it is natural for optical passive components to increase in demand.
How do optical networks help 5G implementation?
Optical network technologies are emerging as one of the most promising solutions to address and eliminate different challenges encountered in 5G communication networks. The main challenge of the 5G network is to facilitate access to information when, where, and in what format we need it. Optical and wireless technologies are being used as pillars in 5G implementation.
While optical fiber cannot go everywhere, it provides a huge amount of bandwidth where it can be implemented, which solves the speed and capacity problems in the 5G network. According to experts, the best approach to make 5G possible is to integrate an optical fiber network and a wireless network. This approach is called Radio over Fiber (RoF) network.
Besides, in addition to the millimeter wave band of wavelength 1mm – 10mm, the optical wave band from wavelength 390nm to 750nm is also considered very promising for 5G communication. Flex-grid optical network is also emerging as a promising network technology for 5G communication systems, which uses sliceable bandwidth variable transceivers, bandwidth variable optical cross connectors, optical splitters and combiners, and bandwidth variable wavelength select switches.
If you need optical passive components to implement passive optical networks for 5G, contact DK Photonics now.