Fiber networking and telecommunications company Adtran has launched a C-band tunable 50 Gbps transceiver, AccessWave50, specifically for mobile network operators (MNOs) hoping to expand 5G fronthaul capacity while reducing energy consumption and Opex.

“As mobile operators transition to 50Gbit/s transport, they need solutions that streamline deployments and maximize efficiency,” Ross Saunders, GM of optical engines at Adtran, said in a statement.

The company did not respond to requests for comment.

The momentum on 5G and the demand to support AI-labelled applications has stoked a hunger for higher-capacity fronthaul solutions with the efficiencies to soften the blow of ballooning power draw.

“Meeting these challenges requires a new generation of more efficient, scalable, and cost-effective fronthaul solutions,” says Christoph Glingener, CTO of Adtran.

“AccessWave50 advances the proven capabilities of our AccessWave25, doubling capacity while maintaining ultra-low power consumption. It simplifies the move to 50 Gbps for mobile network operators by cutting hardware costs and optimizing fiber utilization. At OFC, we’ll showcase how AccessWave50 enables operators to scale their infrastructure efficiently and cost-effectively in response to soaring data demands.”

Through full C-band tunability, Adtran expects to integrate its technology seamlessly into existing mobile network operator software platforms in concert with satellite support. AccessWave50 also makes use of G.metro spectrum efficiency optimization, future-proofing against the spectrum congestion demands experts have been warning us of.

Founded in 1985, Alabama-based Adtran is a vendor of networking solutions.