Dynamic Operation of Flexi-Grid OFDM-Based Networks

The abundance of core network fiber capacity presents an excellent opportunity for handling the continuously growing core traffic, which remains unexplored due to the fixed transmission grid imposed on Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) by the Non-Return to Zero Modulation Format (MF). Flexi-grid transmission exploits the "Void" fiber bandwidth, especially with the advent of coherent MFs that allows spectral packing of WDM channels. Among the various candidates Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is promising due to its enhanced Spectral Efficiency (SE), ability to tailor transmission properties and cost efficient upgradability to higher bitrates.