Oclaro Expands 40G Leadership with Third Generation Coherent Solutions

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Oclaro, Inc. (Nasdaq: OCLR), a tier-one provider of optical communications and laser solutions, today announced its third generation 40G PM-QPSK transponder, the MI 5000XM, featuring an integrated modulator, receiver and the industry's first single-chip ASIC solution for enabling coherent detection. The company also announced the sampling of a new coherent receiver and 40G PM-QPSK modulator that enable customers to build their own coherent-based transponders or line cards for delivering higher performance and longer reach in the fiber optic network.  For more information, customers should visit Oclaro at this week's OFC/NFOEC show in its private customer suites located in booth #2156 and 2160.

There are three dominant 40G modulation formats generally used in networks today:  DPSK (Differential Phase-Shift Keying), DQPSK (Differential Quadrature Phase-Shift Keying), and PM-QPSK (Polarization-Multiplexed Quadrature Phase-Shift Keying).  PM-QPSK coupled with coherent detection and digital signal processing provides a cost-effective way for optical signals to reach longer distances with compensation for large amounts of optical impairments such as chromatic dispersion and polarization mode dispersion.  The solution also provides a stepping stone to future 100G networks that will be based entirely on coherent detection.  Today, Oclaro is the volume shipment leader in 40G DPSK line side 300-pin transponders and is now the first company to deliver a coherent transponder solution incorporating the MUX, A/D and DSP functions in a single ASIC chip developed in partnership with ClariPhy Communications, Inc.  Along with its existing portfolio of components and modules, Oclaro has now established a clear leadership position in 40G high bit-rate products and the company is well positioned to become the leading supplier for 100G deployments.  Moving forward, Oclaro will continue to deliver products for all 40G modulation formats and will provide customers the flexibility of purchasing complete transponder solutions or individual components.

"The explosive growth of the Internet is driving an insatiable 'need for speed' in the core network – and this is where Oclaro is focused," said Andy Carter, Chief Technology Officer at Oclaro. "This third generation of 40G coherent solutions will allow service providers to deploy highly scalable and flexible future-proof architectures and this is just the next step towards delivering the 100G speeds that will be required in the future."

The Third Generation Coherent Transponder

Oclaro extends its family of "plug-and-play" transponder solutions, offering customers a rapid time to market with an optimized coherent solution.  The MI 5000XM delivers best in class OSNR performance, lowest power consumption and highest chromatic and polarization mode dispersion tolerance in the industry.  The transponder is designed to work both in dispersion managed and un-managed solutions and can support distances up to 3000km without dispersion compensation.  The MI 5000XM, part of the Oclaro plug-and play 40G portfolio, can be used directly on blades already designed for an Oclaro transponder module; it uses an industry standard i2c command-set and provides fully autonomous set-up and control.

Integrated 40G Receiver and Lithium Niobate Modulator

For companies that wish to build their own coherent transponders, Oclaro is now sampling a coherent receiver and the new Lithium Niobate PM40 modulator, which was based on the Oclaro PM100 modulator launched in September 2010 to support 100Gb/s optical network applications. Oclaro designed the Lithium Niobate PM40 on a less complex chip technology to deliver significantly lower product costs to the customer.

Availability

The Lithium Niobate PM40 modulator and 40G integrated receiver are sampling today to customers and general availability is planned for summer 2011.  The MI 5000XM transponder will be sampling next month with general availability planned for the second half of 2011.

About Oclaro

Oclaro, Inc. (NASDAQ: OCLR) is a tier-one provider of optical communications and laser components, modules and subsystems for a broad range of diverse markets, including telecommunications, industrial, scientific, consumer electronics, and medical. Oclaro is a global leader, dedicated to photonics innovation with cutting-edge research and development (R&D) and chip fabrication facilities in the U.K., Switzerland and Italy, and in-house and contract manufacturing sites in the U.S., Thailand and China. To support its diverse and global customer base, Oclaro maintains design, sales and service organizations in each of the major regions around the world. For more information visit http://www.oclaro.com.

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Oclaro, the Oclaro logo, and certain other Oclaro trademarks and logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Oclaro, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the US and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Information in this release is subject to change without notice.

SOURCE Oclaro, Inc.