NG-PON2 Test Track

Verizon announced Wed that it will begin testing NG-PON2 (next generation passive optical network) technology in its Innovation Lab this month, using equipment from Ericsson and ADTRAN. The technology allows a capacity increase by adding wavelengths to meet the demand for traffic drivers such UHD and virtual reality apps. Testing will focus on several features of NG-PON2, including tuning performance, ability to carry residential and business services on the same platform, and interoperability and conformance testing to meet Verizon ONT specifications. Verizon’s plan is to deploy a number of business services using NG-PON2 next year, followed by residential services. NG-PON2 specs were approved last year by the International Telecommunications Union Telecommunications Standardization Sector.