ZTE Corporation, a top global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, has rolled out the prototype of the world’s first 10G EPON network equipment including related system services.

The ZXA10 C220 and MDU prototype equipment are unified platforms designed for EPON, 10G EPON and GPON networks.

Designed based in connection with current trends to enable to smooth upgrade for xPON networks, the terminal equipment has high volume and advance backplane architecture, that is likely to improve bandwidth and services access capability.  

10G EPON is an IEEE Task Force for 10Gbit/s backwards compatible with 802.3ah EPON and uses separate wavelengths for 10G and 1G downstream. It is also fully compatible with existing ODN (optical distribution network) and EPON equipment networks and has trunk access bandwidth 10 times that of the current EPON networks.

ZTE keenly takes part in a range of standards giving organizations, including the editorial board that sets the IEEE 802.3av 10G EPON standard. It spends significant amount of time to contribute in the formulation and improvement of 10G EPON standards.

Presently, ZTE has more than 200 xPON-related patents. In September 2008, the company launched a prototype of the world's first total optical wavelength converter-based TDM/WDM hybrid multiplex PON system. This solution is a perfect equipment to solve pressing technical issues related to long-distance optical transmission and large bandwidth demand for optical fiber access networks.

Today, ZTE is again taking the lead by introducing a 10G EPON prototype indicating that the company not only continues to set the pace in xPON technology research but also has the capability to rapidly commercialize research achievements on new technologies and standards.

Currently, operators in China have satrted to substitute optical fiber with copper wire networks on a large scale. Drawing upon its EPON solution, ZTE has created beta models in Hubei, Anhui, Zhenjiang and Shaanxi in collaboration with local operators to jointly promote the development of the EPON industry.