Harmonic brings density to 10G fibre deployments with new OLT shelf
October 23, 2023
Harmonic has announced the launch of its new high-density Pier optical line terminal (OLT) shelf, a significant addition to Harmonic’s virtualised cOS broadband platform and family of network edge devices. Addressing the escalating demand for high-speed 10G connectivity, the Pier OLT shelf introduces new high-power OLT optics to enable downlink reach up to 60 km, streamlined plant design and simplified deployment of outdoor access networks. With its industry-leading density in a temperature-hardened device, service providers can leverage the Pier OLT shelf to increase the serviceable area size for fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband and minimize building infrastructure requirements to accelerate time to market.
The new OLT shelf serves both indoor data centres and outdoor cabinets, offering versatility, performance and reliability. Accommodating a diverse array of deployment scenarios, the Pier shelf supports up to 32 XGS PON, 16 Combo PON or 32 GPON service groups per rack unit, allowing operators to meet a wide spectrum of subscriber and market needs. Whether transforming legacy coax networks to unleash ultra-fast 10G broadband speeds or establishing cutting-edge fibre networks in greenfield environments, the Pier OLT shelf ushers in a new era of agility and opportunity for operators. Manufactured in the US, the Pier shelf also facilitates broadband build-outs subject to federal rules that are applied to Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Programme fund recipients — further simplifying deployments.
“The Pier solution is the newest addition to Harmonic’s versatile fiber portfolio and enables our customers to design practical and optimised optical distribution networks for greater cost efficiency and performance,” said Dan Gledhill, senior vice president, broadband business at Harmonic. “In conjunction with the Harmonic Wharf hardened switch — launched earlier this year — Pier strengthens broadband service providers’ ability to deliver high-speed FTTH and enterprise-class connectivity without the need of a local building or facility.”
The Pier OLT shelf’s high density enables service providers to leverage fewer devices per subscriber. When coupled with Harmonic’s Wharf switch for aggregation, the solution’s extended mid-mile range facilitates more strategic placement of the network components within a defined footprint. High power output, with low power consumption, optimises the Pier shelf to expand each location’s service area reach to ensure full capitalisation of all available system capacity. Device capacity and extended range enable operators to minimize construction, ultimately reducing timelines and providing practical options for evolution.
The Pier OLT shelf provides broadband operators with an evolutionary pathway from GPON to XGS-PON and supports operator-selected third-party ONU and ONT customer premises equipment (CPE). Leveraging Harmonic’s Emmy Award-winning virtualised broadband core, the solution achieves industry-leading energy efficiency alongside critical real-time insight into system performance through Harmonic’s cOS Central telemetry and AI-powered analytics solution.
Harmonic’s virtualised broadband core powers next-gen broadband services to more than 21 million cable modems for over 100 innovative service providers worldwide, including leading operators in the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia.