Exponential subscriber growth, the launch of 3G services and BWA deployment, as well as an impending data boom are all ready to create a bottleneck for Indian telecom transmission networks. Focus has therefore shifted to building next-generation optical networks to fulfill the requirements of carrying voice, data and video on the same transport network efficiently.

A new architectural approach is needed – one that optimally combines optical transport and routing technologies to achieve scalable and cost-effective IP transport for any new service demand.

The latest Heavy Reading Insider, "India Gears Up for an Optical Transport Network Boom," explores the issues facing India’s telcos as they revamp their networks to handle bigger traffic loads. The report looks at issues affecting the Aggregation/Metro layers (which includes Carrier/Metro Ethernet) as well as Long Haul (comprising DWDM, OTN, ASON and ROADM), and it explores the prospects for integration of IP and optics, ROADM, OTN with ODUk/ODUflex, MPLS-TP, OAM and requirement of 100GE transport, including the benefits and challenges. It profiles innovations from three vendors active in the Indian optical transport network (OTN) domain.

The need for innovation in India’s transport networks is key to ensuring a high quality of experience (QoE). Ethernet and optical transport will play an important role in the transformation of networks. Hybrid architecture supporting all-native approach (native TDM and native packet) is optimized for mixed environment of TDM and packet traffic, which is going to be the case in India for many years to come. The long-haul network is evolving to OTN-based DWDM, ROADM networking and Optical Transport Hierarchy (OTH) sub-wavelength circuit networking.

Converged packet optical solution would include OTN switching at ODUk/ODUflex, packet switching at Ethernet L2, MPLS and L3, as well as wavelength cross-connect, including colorless/directionless/contention-less with ASON GMPLS based restoration. At the metro/aggregation layer, it is more of MSPP with MPLS-TP as the connection-oriented technology.

Indian service providers expect SDH OAM-like capability from packet transport deployments, which include comprehensive support for IEEE 802.1ag and ITU Y.1731 standards that encompass fault, performance and alarm management capabilities, to become a prerequisite.

Packet-optical transport system (P-OTS) is expected to evolve and be adopted in India over the next few years. This will provide integrated L3 function and higher integration between the layers – eliminating the need to install different systems for each function.

— Arvind Nagasayanam, Contributing Analyst, Heavy Reading Insider

India Gears Up for an Optical Transport Network Boom, a 15-page report, is available as part of an annual subscription (12 monthly issues) to Heavy Reading Insider, priced at $1,595. This report is available for $900. To subscribe, please visit: www.heavyreading.com/insider.