Nokia is making a major push in optical networking ahead of next week’s OFC50 in San Francisco, introducing a wide array of high-performance transport solutions tailored to meet the bandwidth and scalability demands of hyperscale cloud and AI workloads. Following its recent acquisition of Infinera, Nokia will present an expanded lineup of new optical products—spanning DCI, metro, long-haul, and intra-data center applications—with a strong focus on power efficiency, modularity, and automation.
Among the core innovations is a next-generation Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) optical line system supporting both C and L bands. It enables flexible, high-capacity data center interconnects and is optimized for compatibility with a wide range of coherent pluggables, including lower-power modules. Complementing this system is a new series of pluggable-optimized muxponder and transponder (X-Ponder) line cards for Nokia’s modular platforms, offering 400Gbps and 800Gbps pluggable coherent optics to support dense traffic aggregation.
Nokia will also demonstrate the industry’s first multi-vendor interoperable 800Gbps coherent pluggables with multi-haul capabilities of up to 2,000 km in QSFP-DD800 and OSFP form factors. For intra-data center deployments, the company is showcasing an ultra-low-power 1.6Tbps optical solution designed to reduce energy consumption by up to 70%. Additional highlights include 1.2Tbps embedded coherent optics for scaling fiber to 76.8Tbps, quantum-safe encryption, AI-driven network automation, coherent routing, and new PON solutions enabling 100G business services.
• New C+L band WDM Optical Line System: Integrated platform for high-capacity DCI with flexible wavelength support and enhanced optical client management.
• X-Ponder Line Cards: Modular cards with 400Gbps and 800Gbps pluggable optics for efficient muxponder and transponder aggregation.
• Multi-Haul 800Gbps Coherent Pluggables: Live demo of interoperable QSFP-DD800 and OSFP modules supporting links up to 2,000 km.
• 1.6Tbps Intra-Data Center Optics: Reduces power draw by up to 70%, supports fully retimed, half-retimed, and linear drive pluggables.
• 1.2Tbps Embedded Coherent Optics: Delivers up to 76.8Tbps per fiber with C+L band operation.
• Quantum-Safe Networking: Optical and IP encryption designed to mitigate emerging security threats.
• AI-Based Automation: Tools for service activation, cross-layer coordination, and end-to-end visibility.
• Coherent Routing and Switching: Modular platforms for DCI and metro applications with high scalability and automation.
• Broadband Access Upgrades: 25G/50G PON and coherent overlay for 100G enterprise-grade fiber services.
“The solution to challenges posed by AI and cloud-based connectivity demands starts with scale, but it certainly doesn’t end there,” said James Watt, SVP and GM of Optical Networks at Nokia. “Nokia’s expanded portfolio delivers tangible network value that supports our customers’ long-term business success.”
