Next generation high-speed optical networks for metro access

Connectivity is the major driver in the modern “information society”, where the range of data-driven applications is exploding, and new information-based value chains are rapidly emerging. Optical networks are the backbone of the global communication infrastructure, interconnecting billions of people and a huge number of various autonomous devices, control systems, and machines. Optical systems’ development incites the skyrocketing growth in the demand for data exchange and harnessing, fuelled by web-based services such as ultra-HD streaming, cloud services, 5G proliferation, fostering the changes in the digital world, and shaping the structure of the modern society. The demand growth is especially pronounced in the access and metro links, where data rates largely exceeding the current <1 Tb/s will be required. Moreover, the COVID-19 – with the huge number of people working from home – has intensified the pressure on the optical networks. Also, features such as the financial cost of the system elements, latency, dynamic reconfigurability, and energy consumption gain progressively more importance for the new generation of access and metro networks.The Doctorate Network NESTOR will answer the How? When? and Where? coherent optical transceiver will be deployed in metro-aggregation optical networks to meet the demand for new cost-efficient solutions. NESTOR will also address the Who? by providing advanced training to 10 Fellows - from a new generation of engineers - with PhD projects significantly expanding the flexibility and capacity of access/metro networks. NESTOR harnesses the complementary expertise of the top academic groups (Aston, PoliTO, UPC, SSSA, and TU/e) and core telecom industry (Infinera, BT, Orange, SM-Optics, VPI and Ericsson). NESTOR will provide Fellows with a uniquely broad education ranging from recent advances in ML&AI to real-world telecom engineering, which will enable them to design and implement high-capacity access and metro networks.