Single-chip PON OLT device is first commercial silicon solution

Broadcom's multi-mode BCM68620 SoC integrates support for both existing and next-gen fibre technologies under a common API, to enable a unified system software design that can be applied to all PON protocols supported by a system manufacturer. By enabling universal PON hardware and software, the SoC reduces development and support costs.

"Broadcom's BCM68620 allows OEMs and fibre service providers to develop a single software solution that can be used across multiple PON deployments, simplifying inventory management and network maintenance," said Greg Fischer, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Broadband Carrier Access, Broadcom. "Built on our proven PON OLT technologies, the BCM68620 family integrates support for new and legacy PON technologies into a single platform to improve density, streamline development, reduce capital expenditures and ultimately speed deployments to subscribers."

Broadcom's BCM68620 is also the first commercially-available OLT silicon for the ITU's G.987 XGPON-1 protocol and will offer the industry's first support for the G.989 NGPON-2 protocol in the first half of 2016. Including its additional support for the widely-deployed IEEE 802.3ah 1G EPON, G.984 2Gbps GPON and IEEE 802.3av 10G EPON protocols, the BCM68620 is the most comprehensive PON OLT development platform on the market today. 

By bringing all of these technologies under a single API, the BCM68620 is a suitable choice for the application of Software Defined Networking (SDN) management practices to the OLT, supporting the creation of a universal open management system with the flexibility for easy configuration by virtualised applications running in a cloud-based architecture. By also offering PON protocol coexistence on a single device, system vendors can design universal line cards with the BCM68620, significantly improving inventory management and deployment complexity for fibre operators.

The combination of universality on both the software and hardware layers represents a dramatic leap forward in efficiency for PON OLT deployment, obsoleting the approach of protocol-specific systems and paving the way to highly-optimised common infrastructure.