ComSoc Technology News (CTN) is a free, online monthly publication that publishes interesting, timely, and newsworthy articles that span a wide range of topics related to the communications technology industry. Our mission is to be an informational resource that brings diverse perspectives and thought leadership while providing a platform for lively discussion amongst our readers.

CTN is run by a team of volunteer editorial board members who are technical experts in diverse fields. All articles are reviewed and edited by a technical editor. The editor-in-chief performs the final review prior to publication. 

April 2024 Issue

Getting Religious with Coherent Technologies in High-Speed Optical Access Systems

Coherent technologies offer promising solutions for high-speed optical access beyond the rate of 100 Gb/s. By embracing coherent detection, optical access system capacity can be enhanced by encoding information in amplitude, phase, as well as polarization components of a carrier.  With the use of digital signal processing (DSP), coherent receivers can mitigate signal impairments through the use of distortion equalization and fiber dispersion compensation. Compared to Intensity Modulation / Direct Detection (IMDD), coherent detection excels in chromatic dispersion (CD) equalization, enabling the utilization of C-band wavelengths, achieving a higher access link budget. On the other hand, system complexity is one of the challenges of integrating coherence technologies into optical access systems. There are ongoing efforts focused on streamlining coherent systems to meet the optical access requirements of cost and complexity reduction. 

This month’s issue of CTN offers a comprehensive review of the industrial landscape on coherence for optical access. The authors introduce the principles of coherent signal transmission and reception while delving into standards development within IEEE, ITU, and other groups. Candidate solutions are analyzed to underscore future directions in this area. We hope you enjoy this tour of an up-and-coming technology that can enhance how information is delivered to homes and businesses.

Miguel Dajer, CTN Editor-in-Chief

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