The Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI) has launched the Passive Optical Networks of the Next Generation – PONGO for short – research project. The aim of the project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, is to develop the foundations for the next-but-one generation of passive optical networks (PON). With data rates of at least 200 Gbit/s, these networks should be able to meet the increasing requirements of modern applications such as 6G, edge cloud, and XR services.
Currently available PON systems will quickly reach their limits as data volumes continue to grow. While current PON systems operate at a maximum of 10 Gbit/s and future systems are designed for 50 Gbit/s, the growing data demand will soon require a fourfold increase in data rates. Traditional transmission methods using intensity modulation and direct reception are therefore no longer sufficient for the next technological leap. This is where PONGO comes in, with research into coherent transmission technologies that were previously reserved for use in wide-area networks. These technologies are to be adapted for the PON architecture, taking into account cost and energy requirements in the energy-sensitive access domain.
"With PONGO, we are paving the way for a new generation of optical access systems. It is crucial that we develop coherent processes in a form that is both economically viable and sustainable in operation," explains Dr. Christoph Kottke, Deputy Head of the Metro, Access and In-house Systems Group at Fraunhofer HHI. “This is the only way we can meet the increasing demand for bandwidth in the long term—and keep our energy consumption under control at the same time.”
Sustainability Meets Innovation
A central aspect of PONGO is the energy-efficient design of future PON architectures—that is, a significant reduction in the energy demand associated with increasing bandwidth and complex signal processing (DSP). Fraunhofer HHI is working together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration (IZM), the Bundeswehr University Munich, the Technical University of Central Hesse and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) on new hardware concepts and optimized signal processing methods that are not only high-performance but also resource-efficient. Issues relating to network planning and CO₂ balancing over the entire life cycle are also included in the research—an internationally unique approach.
Stimulus for Global Standards
The project actively supports the standardization of coherent PON systems at the ITU-T. Initial discussions on 200 Gbit/s standards are already underway. Through technologically sound contributions, PONGO aims to help shape international developments in the long term and strengthen Germany's role in the field of optical network infrastructures.
In addition to the Fraunhofer HHI and the partners Fraunhofer IZM, Bundeswehr University Munich, Technical University of Central Hesse, and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Adtran Networks SE is involved as the consortium coordinator, and teutel GmbH as an associated network operator. The project was launched in July 2024 and will run for three years.
You can find out more about the PONGO project here.