Finisar Positioned as WSS ROADM Market Share Leader in Infonetics Research Analyst Report

Finisar's WSS portfolio includes the DWP 50, DWP 100, and DWP 100e -- all fully integrated high-performance intelligent modules offering flexible and upgradeable WSS functionality for advanced reconfigurable network applications. A key enabler of this highly programmable platform is Finisar's unique Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) switching technology used to produce the industry's most feature-rich and cost-effective WSS modules. Inherent in LCoS technology is the capability to deliver next generation flexible grid architectures which enable carriers to future-proof their networks as data rates increase.

The fastest growing segment in optical networking is the WSS ROADM market, said Rafik Ward, Vice President of Marketing at Finisar. As the ROADM market expands, Finisar is poised to meet the demands of our customers through our 100 GHz, 50 GHz, and flexible grid offerings.

We believe Finisar's LCoS software provisioned grid-less engine is a very interesting technology for the Comcast network, said Shamim Akhtar, Director of Network Engineering at Comcast Corporation. The flexibility of Finisar's offering between 100 GHz and 50 GHz and flexible grid architecture is a key feature as we migrate our rings/spans from current 100 GHz to 50 GHz grid in phases and later introduce higher data rate lambdas beyond 100G on some of our network spans.

As noted by Infonetics Research Analyst, Andrew Schmitt: Since the launch of Infonetics' wavelength selective switch component reporting, JDSU had been the market share leader, but in the second half of 2009, Finisar took the lead based on the strength of its 50 GHz WSS shipments. The transition from 100 GHz to 50 GHz channel spacing is accelerating, with the 50 GHz segment expected to account for all future revenue and unit growth in the WSS market.