Scale one fiber pair to 16x 100G with passive O-band WDM
Overview
The O-band sits close to the dispersion-zero wavelength of standard single mode fiber, so 100G PAM4 channels travel the same distance that C-band optics can only reach with coherent detection or a shortened span, without any dispersion compensation module or optical amplifier. This is what has made O-band multiplexing attractive across the industry at metro and enterprise interconnect distances: a simpler, fully passive, lower-cost way to scale 100G capacity. At each site, up to sixteen 100G channels run on the O-band's 200 GHz grid, 1295.56 nm to 1312.58 nm, one OWDM-100G-Q28-30-XX transceiver per channel. Each transceiver patches into its own channel port on a DOMD-16 unit.
Budget calculation
Each OWDM-100G-Q28-30-XX transceiver carries a 14.7 dB Average Link Budget. DOMD-16's insertion loss takes 6.1 dB of that (about 3.05 dB per unit, mux and demux combined), leaving 8.6 dB for fiber and connectors. At a typical 0.35 dB/km fiber attenuation plus a 0.5 dB connector allowance, that budget closes around 23 km, not the full 30 km the transceiver is individually rated for. This figure depends on fiber and connector assumptions, which should be confirmed against actual site loss before it appears in a customer-facing distance claim.
Bill of materials
Every product in the diagram above, with the quantity each one appears. Open a row for full specifications, pricing and ordering.
- 6xOWDM-100G-Q28-30O-band xWDM 100G QSFP28 Single Lambda PAM4 Module (Tx/Rx. 1290-1325nm (16 Ch)/1290-1325nm, O-Band 200 Ghz grid, 103.125 Gbps, Max. 30km over SMF, 14.7dB, Temp. 0-70C, Double LC/UPC)
- 2xDOMD-1616 Channel Dual Fiber Passive O-Band Mux/Demux, O-band Channels 1295.56nm – 1312.58nm, IL below 6.1dB per link (≈3.05 dB typical per unit), with Monitor port, LC/UPC connector, 19" 1U Type
- 1xLC/UPC-LC/UPC-OS2-DX-B-LSZH-XLC/UPC to LC/UPC, Type A to B, Duplex, OS2 9/125μm, LSZH Patch cable, Length 0.5-100 meter
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the maximum reach of this O-band WDM solution?
The OWDM-100G-Q28-30 transceiver carries a 14.7 dB average link budget. The DOMD-16 mux/demux takes 6.1 dB of that (combined mux + demux), leaving 8.6 dB for fiber and connectors. At a typical 0.35 dB/km fiber attenuation plus a 0.5 dB connector allowance, that budget closes around 23 km. Confirm against your actual measured site loss before committing to a specific distance figure.
Do I need optical amplification or dispersion compensation on this link?
No. The O-band sits close to standard single-mode fiber's dispersion-zero wavelength, so the 100G PAM4 channels run over this distance class without a dispersion compensation module or an optical amplifier — the DOMD-16 mux/demux is a fully passive component.
How many 100G channels can run over one fiber pair?
Up to sixteen. The DOMD-16 organizes 16 channels on the O-band 200 GHz grid, 1295.56 nm to 1312.58 nm, with one OWDM-100G-Q28-30-XX transceiver per channel, each patching into its own channel port on the unit.
What connectors and fiber type does this solution use?
LC/UPC connectors over single-mode fiber (SMF) throughout — both the OWDM-100G-Q28-30-XX transceiver (Double LC/UPC, duplex) and the DOMD-16 (LC/UPC) use this interface.
Does the DOMD-16 mux/demux unit need power?
No. It's a passive thin-film-filter (TFF) device with no electrical power input — it introduces insertion loss only, which is why it's accounted for directly in the link budget above rather than as a powered device.