Downstream transmission dimensioning in FDMA-PON architectures: Results from the EU project “FABULOUS”

In this paper we present the FDMA-PON (Frequency Division Multiple Access - Passive Optical Network) architecture proposed by the FP7 EU STREP project titled “FABULOUS”, focusing on downstream transmission. We experimentally demonstrate that the proposed architecture allows to reach 16 Gbps aggregated capacity per downstream wavelength over an optical distribution network with 30dB loss, still using direct-detection receivers and requiring relatively low speed digital signal processing at the ONU side.