Infinera Technology

So all-optical networks are supposed to be cheaper because they avoid OEO conversions, but what DWDM manufacturers failed to consider was the dramatic loss of functionality in an all-optical architecture. At Infinera, rather than accept the limitations of all-optical we have focused on making OEO conversion a cost-effective thing to do, and thereby allow a return to digital optical networking.

This diagram shows the heart of our DTN, which we describe as the world's first digital ROADM. Optical devices are used for the operations at which they excel—fibre optic transmission at very high speeds and capacities. We use electrical devices for everything else because 50 years of electronic circuit integration means that electronics are the best approach for signal regeneration; switching; grooming; protection; service selection for add-drop; and performance management.

The unique advantage for Infinera is that, in addition to highly integrated electronics, we have developed the world's first photonic integrated circuit (PIC)—which essentially integrates all of the functions required by ten channels of 10Gbit/s into a single pair of chips (one for transmit and one for receive).