HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--ADTRAN, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADTN), the leading provider of next-generation open networking and subscriber experience solutions, today announced that it has added support for Combo PON within the ADTRAN (TA5000) fiber access platform. With this new capability, the TA5000 becomes the highest density 10G PON solution in the U.S. market. It delivers improved economics for operators building new or modernizing existing fiber networks to support the economic and social development of the communities they serve. ADTRAN’s Combo PON innovation affords service providers a 75% reduction in space, a 66% reduction in power and a 50% reduction in capex versus operating with two discrete GPON and XGS-PON optical line termination (OLT) modules.

“Gigabit services’ scalability and network flexibility are critical to our ability to be competitive. We need to be able to launch new differentiated services and enter new markets quickly and easily,” said Hamid Vahdatipour, Lake Region Electric Cooperative’s CEO. “With the addition of Combo PON, the ADTRAN TA5000 becomes a stronger foundation on which to build the fiber broadband access network our communities need and will thrive on for decades to come.”

Network operators will now be able to deliver GPON and XGS-PON technologies over a single common optical distribution network. This allows both fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) technologies to be simultaneously deployed from a single advanced FTTH module, eliminating the need for performance-draining external coexistence modules. Combo PON makes upgrading to XGS-PON simple and easy, seamlessly supporting the installed base of GPON subscribers while blanketing the entire FTTH network with the higher speed and capacity of XGS-PON. The TA5000 8-port Combo PON OLT Access Module with integrated coexistence functionality supports the delivery of GPON, XGS-PON and Combo PON from a common OLT port.

With the addition of this high-density 10G PON module, ADTRAN unleashes the full capability of the TA5000’s high-capacity backplane and Nx100GE network interface. The TA5000 supports greater than 60,000 FTTH subscribers within a single standard central office rack, while only utilizing 64 home “splits” per passive optical network (PON).

“Service providers all over the world need to cost-effectively deploy high-capacity, scalable full-fiber networks supporting consumer cloud, remote worker, IoT and enterprise applications,” said Javier Lopez, ADTRAN’s Director of Product Management for Broadband Access. “We understand that both established and emerging service providers are making network decisions with decade-long implications. We believe we are adding new capabilities, like Combo PON and 100G interfaces, at the right time to help operators achieve their future network goals.”