Verizon validates NG-PON2 interoperability based on OpenOMCI specification

NEW YORK - Addressing the long-standing challenge of PON interoperability, Verizon successfully proved interoperability of NG-PON2 at its Technology Center in Waltham, Mass., during May.

The trial focused on ONT management and provisioning and used Verizon's OpenOMCI specification, which defines the OLT-to-ONT interface and is aligned with the ITU-T Recommendation G.989.3. Verizon, along with ADTRAN, Broadcom, Cortina Access, Ericsson/Calix and Intel, worked together to develop the OpenOMCI specification that led to the successful trial.

Verizon gathered the group of system and component vendors based on their expertise with OMCI and their interoperability experience with earlier generations of PON systems. Since the initial NG-PON2 trial in December 2016, these companies intend to make their hardware and software compliant and are actively contributing to the OpenOMCI specification.

By outlining the tools necessary to model a multi-wavelength PON, the Verizon OpenOMCI specification optimizes the number of managed entities and methods that can be used to implement a particular service function while disallowing vendor-proprietary objects and features that have provided a major obstacle for interoperability efforts until now. The OpenOMCI also includes specific managed entities that, in Verizon's experience, improve the stability of PON systems.

"The Verizon-led NG-PON2 interoperability effort is important, not only for Verizon but for NG-PON2 technology, and is based on lessons learned over the last 13 years of PON deployment and great partnerships. We see this work as removing a major roadblock and helping accelerate NG-PON2 deployment," said Dr. Vincent O'Byrne, director of technology at Verizon.

Along with ONT management and provisioning, the trial emphasized transmission convergence layer features that allow support of not only business and residential traffic but wireless transport services. These features are unique to NG-PON2 compared to other PON systems.

"We continuously sought the various contributors' feedback and constructive input," said Dr. Denis Khotimsky, Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff and Verizon's lead engineer for the trial. "NG-PON2 technology creates specific challenges for the management layer to handle, such as multi-wavelength operations, pluggable optics and multiple interface enhancements. The Verizon OpenOMCI specification meets those challenges."

Representatives of several international communications operators interested in the NG-PON2 technology, including Deutsche Telekom, SK Telecom and Vodafone, participated in the trial as virtual observers, which gave them access to the specification, test plans and readouts.

Following the successful completion of the trial, Verizon shared its OpenOMCI specification with the industry for possible inclusion within the appropriate standards.