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Breaking News - Networking:

Big Bear Solves Optical Impairment With EDC-Based Solutions

Big Bear Networks, delivering intelligence into the Optical/Electrical interface for enterprise, metro and carrier networks, announced a solution to the challenge of optical impairment in high-speed networks with its patented electronic dispersion compensation (EDC) technology and it has successfully delivered its products into multiple high-speed datacom and telecom markets.

During the last 24 months, Big Bear Networks has tightly integrated its patented EDC technology, called Photronic Signal Processing (PSP), with optical components to deliver the highest performance, cost-optimized modules for high speed network applications. At 10 Gigabit and higher transmission speeds, the bandwidth requirements in optical devices and limitations of the fiber channel have made it difficult to develop economically feasible modules that achieve system performance requirements.

Solving the OE interface issue with EDC and delivering the resulting performance benefits requires the tight coupling of three very different engineering disciplines; mixed-signal IC design, optical channel and component expertise, and a system integration team to bring together the complete solution. The absence of other EDC-based modules shipping in the market today attests to the difficult engineering challenge of developing such high-speed modules and sub-systems.

"Our talented engineering staff, which includes experts in mixed-signal IC design, optical components, and system integration, has successfully developed world class technology and products," said Mark Thompson, president and CEO of Big Bear Networks. "We have completed the development of our PSP technology, we've engineered it into market-leading products, and we've won significant customer business, shipping products into three application segments."

Big Bear Networks is currently shipping for revenue into three markets, with additional products planned for market introduction later this year. All of the products are based on Big Bear Networks' PSP technology:

  • Big Bear Networks announced 10GBASE-ZR XENPAK modules, targeted at long-reach, single-mode (80-120 km) 10G Ethernet metro applications. This is the first single-mode 10G transponder on the market to incorporate EDC.
  • Big Bear Networks has successfully had its EDC-based ICs designed into 10G Telecom line cards, which resolve optical impairment issues over single-mode fiber transmission links.
  • Big Bear Networks has also developed its 40/43G transponders, which have been shipping for more than one year. The company supplies most of the early adopter 40G transponder business, primarily with test equipment manufacturers and Tier-1 system OEMs.
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