End: 31/08/2025
Funding: National
Status: On going
Packet Optical Networks and Services (PONS)
Acronym: RELAMPAGO
Call ID: Generación Conocimiento 2021
Code: PID2021-127916OB-I00
Telecom network operators must enhance their networks’ capacity and dynamic adaptation due to ever-increasing traffic volumes and variability. The goal is to develop optical transport systems capable of 1Pb/s with 10Tb/s line interfaces that dynamically adjust to demand. This requires exploiting ultra wide band (UWB) wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) and space division multiplexing (SDM), as current methods using advanced modulation and polarization division multiplexing are approaching the Shannon limit.
Operators face the challenge of upgrading networks while maintaining costs, amidst customer resistance to price increases. Historically, networks relied on proprietary solutions creating vendor lock-in, but there’s a shift towards open, disaggregated systems as seen in data centers. These systems reduce costs and improve efficiency by using generic hardware and open software, encouraging new market entrants and competition.
Managing these open networks is complex, requiring autonomous networking for minimal human oversight and cloud-native applications for scalable, adaptable control. The RELAMPAGO project aims to define and validate an open, multi-layer transport network, focusing on high-capacity scaling, zero-touch management, cloud-native control, impactful research dissemination, and fostering R&D aligned with European and Spanish strategic agendas.