Nokia has announced a series of new optical networking innovations designed to address the demands of unprecedented scale and application diversity driven by the AI supercycle.
AI traffic and data center interconnect (DCI) requirements continue to accelerate, surpassing the practical limits of approaches based solely on incremental improvements from previous generations. As applications become more diverse, network operators increasingly require solutions that are specifically optimized for different performance, reach, and efficiency requirements. Nokia’s latest innovations represent a fundamental change in the way optical transport products are designed and developed, significantly reducing cost, space and power, simplifying network operations, while providing application-optimized connectivity that maximizes performance.
This innovation includes a new suite of coherent optical solutions and a compact in-line amplifier optimized for multi-fiber. Nokia executives will attend the OFC conference in Los Angeles this week to share the company’s latest vision for optical networking in the age of AI.
The industry is at a critical inflection point, requiring entirely new dimensions of scale, trust, and innovation. At Nokia, we leverage unparalleled global reach, deep vertical integration, and a co-creation model with our customer base to connect intelligence. The result is a trusted solution that drives the highest economics, lowest power, AI-enabled efficiency, and improves connectivity in the AI era.
David Heard, President of Network Infrastructure, Nokia
New suite of application-optimized coherent optical solutions
At the heart of Nokia’s announcement is a new approach to building coherent optical solutions for networks in the AI era. Rather than developing individual solutions for each application, Nokia has adopted a building block-based development methodology. This allows the technology to be easily assembled and integrated across a wide range of optical transport use cases. These building blocks include four new digital signal processors and multiple optical front ends built using both indium phosphide and silicon photonics. This approach delivers a comprehensive suite of coherent optical transport solutions specifically optimized to address both existing and emerging network applications, improving cost, space, and power efficiency while reducing total cost of ownership by up to 70%.
The new solution includes:
- a 1.6T compatible coherent pluggable Optimized for IP over DWDM DCI and scalable across applications.
- a 2.4T compatible coherent pluggable Optimized for low-profile transponder deployments supporting a wide range of terrestrial and submarine network applications.
- a 3.2T compatible coherent light solution Optimized for low power consumption to support short-haul campus and enterprise applications.
- a A new class of double-sided pluggables Optimized to work with CPO, LPO, and NPO-based switches, it supports campus, metro, and regional DCI and can be scaled across applications.
- a A new class of full band transponders It combines hundreds of consistent components into a single, operationally simplified solution optimized for hyperscale capacity demands across campus, metro, regional, long-haul, and subsea applications.
- 2.4T and 3.2T embedded transponder Optimized to maximize fiber capacity at any distance for fiber-constrained applications.
The new family of coherent optical solutions is expected to begin sampling in mid-2027 with general availability in late 2027.
multi-rail inline amplifier
As bandwidth demands increasingly exceed what a single fiber pair can provide, network operators are turning to multi-fiber architectures to expand capacity. The primary constraint to multifiber network expansion is the physical space limitations of inline amplifier sheds required for network spans greater than 80 kilometers.
To address this challenge, Nokia is introducing a new multi-rail inline amplifier designed for scalable multi-fiber deployments. This solution provides a 40x increase in inline amplifier density compared to today’s solution, which has 160 fiber pairs in a single rack. This allows you to scale capacity and services within your existing network footprint while reducing cost and operational complexity.
Nokia’s new multi-rail optical line system is expected to be available in late 2026.
AI is fundamentally changing optical networks, and the demand for connectivity is unprecedented. Hyperscalers, service providers, and enterprises each have significant investments in their network infrastructure, but each has different deployment models and performance requirements that cannot be effectively addressed with a one-size-fits-all approach. With our innovative building block approach to optical engine development and vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities, Nokia is positioned to meet the wide range of power, performance and economic demands driven by the AI Supercycle.
Kyle Hollasch, Cignal AI Transport Hardware Principal Analyst
The industry is at a major inflection point, driven by unprecedented demand for AI and cloud services. With industry-leading vertical integration and in-house manufacturing capabilities, Nokia is uniquely positioned to help customers efficiently scale their networks while reducing power, space, and cost per bit.
Ron Johnson, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Optical Networks, Nokia
