PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The IEEE has approved work to begin on a new amendment to the IEEE 802.3™ Ethernet standard that will serve to enhance the 40 Gb/s Ethernet physical layer (PHY) capabilities already under development in the IEEE P802.3ba™ 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s Ethernet project.

The project is known as IEEE P802.3bg™, "Standard for Information technology--Telecommunications and information exchange between systems--Local and metropolitan area networks--Specific requirements Part 3: Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) Access Method and Physical Layer Specifications Amendment: Physical Layer and Management Parameters for Serial 40 Gb/s Ethernet Operation Over Single Mode Fiber."

The IEEE P802.3bg project aims to provide multiple system operators and telecommunications operators with an IEEE 802.3 Ethernet 40 Gb/s serial PHY that provides optical compatibility with existing carrier 40 Gb/s client interfaces. It is sponsored by the IEEE Computer Society's Local and Metropolitan Area Networks Committee and will be developed by the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Working Group.

"This project is to build upon the current IEEE P802.3ba 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s Ethernet project to create a new PHY for 40 Gb/s Ethernet operation that is optimized for carrier networks," says David Law, Chair of the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Working Group. "The ongoing liaison relationship between the IEEE 802.3 Working Group and ITU-T Study Group 15 will help to ensure interoperability between standards developed by the two organizations."

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE)