Creating the future of optical communications: The importance of standardization and the latest trends

Introduction: What is standardization?

We take the Internet and mobile phones for granted in our daily lives. The reason these technologies function smoothly all over the world is because of an invisible force called "standardization." Standardization is an effort to unify the specifications of products and services and ensure their compatibility. Standardization plays a particularly important role in the field of optical communications.

The importance of standardization: why is it necessary?

The history of standardization is long, dating back to the Industrial Revolution. However, it wasn't until the second half of the 20th century that it really began to attract attention in the field of communications technology. Why is standardization necessary?

1. Ensuring compatibility: Products from different manufacturers can be used without problems
2. Cost reduction: Mass production becomes possible, lowering product prices
3. Fostering innovation: Common ground accelerates the development of new technologies
4. Global expansion: The same standard can be used worldwide

Particularly in the field of optical communications, standardization of optical fiber, optical transceivers, and other optical connection devices is essential for building high-speed, highly reliable networks.

Introduction of standardization organizations

The main organizations promoting standardization of optical communications are:

• ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector): Develops international standards for telecommunications in general.
• IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers): Develops international standards for a wide range of electrical and electronic technologies, including wired LAN and wireless LAN.
• IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission): An international standardization organization in the field of electrical and electronic technology. Works closely with ISO to issue global standards.
• IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force): An organization that develops standardization for Internet technologies in general.
• TIA (Telecommunications Industry Association): Develops standards in a wide range of fields, including optical fiber, cabling, data centers, and wireless communications.
• OIF (Optical Internetworking Forum): An industry group that coordinates the datacom and optical communications fields.
• MSA (Multi-Source Agreement): A standardization organization recognized in the optical communications industry. A consensus-building group among multiple manufacturers to produce products with the same basic functions and operability across different vendors.

These organizations work on standardization in their areas of expertise, such as the TIA, which defines fiber optic cable color coding and data center infrastructure standards.

Companies participating in standards organizations

Standardization organizations include a wide range of companies, including telecommunications equipment manufacturers, telecommunications carriers, and semiconductor manufacturers. For example:

• Data center operators (ICPs: Internet Contents Providers) such as Google, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft
• Communication Service Providers (CSPs) such as NTT, AT&T, and Verizon

• Telecommunications equipment manufacturers such as Cisco, Huawei, and Nokia

• Semiconductor manufacturers such as Intel and Broadcom

These companies work together to advance standardization, which contributes to the development of the entire industry. We are also members of some of these standardization organizations and are making technical contributions.

The impact of standardization and the future of optical communications

Standardization is having a major impact on the optical communications industry:

1. High-speed data centers: New optical transceiver standards such as QSFP-DD and OSFP enable ultra-high-speed communications of 400 Gbps and 800 Gbps
2. Realizing 5G/6G: Standardized optical fiber networks will be the foundation for next-generation mobile communications
3. Improved energy efficiency: Standardized technology enables more energy-efficient communications
4. Global connectivity: Creating an environment where communication can be done using the same standards anywhere in the world

Going forward, optical communications will likely continue to become faster and have greater capacity.

Standardization is an important foundation that supports the realization of such innovative technologies. The future of optical communications is being created by standardization.

Reference URL:
– ITU-T: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/
– IEEE: https://www.ieee.org/
– IEC: https://www.iec.ch/
– IETF: https://www.ietf.org/
– OIF: https://www.oiforum.com/
– TIA: https://tiaonline.org/
– QSFP-DD MSA: http://www.qsfp-dd.com/
– OSFP MSA: https://osfpmsa.org/