World's First Integration of Full-Length Optical Network Monitoring into Communication DSP Chips
NTT has successfully integrated a feature that visualizes the full length of an optical network into a communication Digital Signal Processor (DSP) chip for the first time in the world. By reducing computational load by 100x through proprietary technology, it enables implementation in small optical transceivers. This allows for continuous, end-to-end monitoring without dedicated test equipment, significantly improving operational efficiency for optical networks in the AI era.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 27, 2026 at 00:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 26, 2026 at 15:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 27, 2026 at 05:56 (14h 24m after Collected)
## Visualizing Optical Networks While Communicating
NTT Corporation (President and CEO: Akira Shimada) has successfully integrated, for the first time in the world, a capability into a communication DSP chip that visualizes the state of the entire optical network using only small optical transceivers at the receiving end. This achievement was presented as a post-deadline paper at the international conference OFC2026 held in March 2026.
## Background and Challenges
With the expansion of AI demand, the importance of high-capacity and wide-area optical networks has intensified. For the IOWN APN, NTT's next-generation infrastructure, identifying abnormal loss points early is crucial for stable operation. Traditionally, dedicated measurement equipment such as OTDRs was required, making it difficult to monitor the entire network continuously while communicating, due to costs and operational burdens. Although NTT previously developed visualization techniques without measurement equipment, the massive computational resources required were a bottleneck for commercial integration.
## World's First Technical Breakthrough
NTT developed proprietary technology that reduced the required computational processing for visualization by 100 times compared to conventional methods. This enabled integration into communication DSP chips, where power consumption and space are strictly constrained. The result was implemented in an 800G coherent DSP manufactured by NTT Innovative Devices Corporation, successfully identifying network abnormalities over a distance of up to 1,005 km using compact pluggable optical transceivers (OSFP). Measurement accuracy was found to be consistent with dedicated OTDR results.
## Future Prospects
This technology enables optical transceivers to 'detect their own abnormalities,' bringing revolutionary efficiency to optical network operation and maintenance. NTT will continue to promote the implementation of this technology into optical networks, including the IOWN APN, to realize constant monitoring and autonomous operation of high-capacity networks for the AI era.
This research was partially supported by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) project (JPJ012368G60201).
NTT Corporation (President and CEO: Akira Shimada) has successfully integrated, for the first time in the world, a capability into a communication DSP chip that visualizes the state of the entire optical network using only small optical transceivers at the receiving end. This achievement was presented as a post-deadline paper at the international conference OFC2026 held in March 2026.
## Background and Challenges
With the expansion of AI demand, the importance of high-capacity and wide-area optical networks has intensified. For the IOWN APN, NTT's next-generation infrastructure, identifying abnormal loss points early is crucial for stable operation. Traditionally, dedicated measurement equipment such as OTDRs was required, making it difficult to monitor the entire network continuously while communicating, due to costs and operational burdens. Although NTT previously developed visualization techniques without measurement equipment, the massive computational resources required were a bottleneck for commercial integration.
## World's First Technical Breakthrough
NTT developed proprietary technology that reduced the required computational processing for visualization by 100 times compared to conventional methods. This enabled integration into communication DSP chips, where power consumption and space are strictly constrained. The result was implemented in an 800G coherent DSP manufactured by NTT Innovative Devices Corporation, successfully identifying network abnormalities over a distance of up to 1,005 km using compact pluggable optical transceivers (OSFP). Measurement accuracy was found to be consistent with dedicated OTDR results.
## Future Prospects
This technology enables optical transceivers to 'detect their own abnormalities,' bringing revolutionary efficiency to optical network operation and maintenance. NTT will continue to promote the implementation of this technology into optical networks, including the IOWN APN, to realize constant monitoring and autonomous operation of high-capacity networks for the AI era.
This research was partially supported by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) project (JPJ012368G60201).
FAQ
Why is dedicated test equipment no longer necessary?
The capability to estimate transmission path conditions directly from received signals has been integrated into the DSP chip.
What is an 800G DSP chip?
It is a semiconductor chip for digital signal processing capable of handling 800Gbps high-speed communications, serving as the heart of optical signal conversion and control.
How does this technology contribute to future networks?
It enables autonomous operation of infrastructure resilient to faults while reducing human labor, catering to the explosive communication demand of the AI era.