OptiCON

Motivation

Data processing applications are increasingly being transferred to the Internet. With the expansion of the fifth generation (5G) mobile network, a further increase in the amount of data is expected. As a result, the current data networks are reaching their capacity limits. New ways must be found to make better use of existing network resources or to increase network capacity with little additional investment. The transmission networks also have to meet new requirements, such as the need for fast application response times. A short transmission latency must be guaranteed for this.

Goals and Approach

Currently only a small area of the theoretically available bandwidth of the fiber is used for data transmission. The OptiCON project is investigating how the capacity can be increased about five times. This should be achieved inexpensively by using the same standardized terminal equipment and network elements for all bands. Consistent monitoring of the transmission quality and the resulting adaption of the data signals help to optimize capacity. To do this, new optical measurement technology must be developed and the network control software must be optimized. Such solutions have to pay particular attention to cost efficiency.

Some applications place special demands on the quality of the network. This is where OptiCON develops new types of measurement methods for monitoring the network quality. The measured parameters are in turn taken into account in the network control. This gives every user application the network quality it needs.

Innovations and Perspektives

By consistently using all available network resources and by monitoring the network quality, optical transmission technology can keep pace with the requirements of future applications. OptiCON provides innovative solutions for hardware at the transmission layer and for software at the network control layer. The results of the project create the basis for high-performance fiber optic networks. These results will represent an important building block for digitization in all areas of technical and social life, for example for the future-proof, nationwide expansion of broadband coverage.