MRV Debuts Next-Gen Fiber Driver Optical Media Converters for Telecom Networks

CHATSWORTH, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sep 14, 2009 MRV COMMUNICATIONS, INC., today announced the Fiber Driver EM316T1E1-XY, the second in a family of next-generation optical media converters with multiple operating modes to meet the needs of evolving carrier networks. MRV is a leading networking company with a full line of packet-optical transport (POTS), carrier Ethernet, 40G networking and out-of-band networking products.

The Fiber Driver XY suite of media converters combines ultra high-speed protocol support with the flexibility of multi-rate and small form-factor pluggable (SFP) design. The devices feature built in media conversion, signal repeating and lambda conversion with optional wave division multiplexing (WDM) technology available via an SFP, which marks the EM316T1E1-XY as the industry’s most flexible and feature rich T1/E1 fiber optic solutions.

The EM316T1E1-XY module has two T1/E1 copper ports and two modular SFP ports to enable T1/E1 signals to be sent across a fiber cable plant. Carriers looking to groom their fiber can use WDM SFPs to put the bandwidth of both copper ports on a single fiber. The built-in signal repeating capability allows carriers to use the devices for distance extension applications.

The first mode acts as a copper-to-fiber converter, transforming copper T1/E1 to single mode or multimode fiber optics. The second mode acts as a T1/E1 multiplexer, allowing two-channel T1/E1 TDM to multiplex over redundant optical links. The third mode acts as a fiber-to-fiber repeater, providing fiber-optic repeating of the T1/E1 trunk(s) and T1/E1 to T1/E1 copper repeater.

The T1/E1 module integrates advanced remote management including full link visibility and provisioning from the central office, and the ability to remotely locate CPE without the need for an IP/SNMP network management module.

“As carriers migrate from copper to fiber and from media conversion to distance extension and fiber grooming, the feature rich XY media converters will allow them to deliver a wider variety of services over their existing access infrastructure,” said Noam Lotan, director and CEO of MRV Communications. “By implementing a flexible media converter, telecom operators can optimize the bandwidth of existing copper cables without increasing CAPEX investment.”

The EM316T1E1-XY module will be available in calendar Q4 from MRV sales representatives worldwide. The media converter also supports the J1 standard for Japanese networks.

About Fiber Driver

MRV’s Fiber Driver optical multi-service product line provides a full range services demarcation, media conversion, signal repeating and fiber-optimization solutions, including coarse and dense WDM capabilities. Both managed and unmanaged solutions are available, including rack-mount, modular systems and desktop systems. The Fiber Driver line includes several families of products with the flexibility of hundreds of combinations and system options for any type of optical or copper technology, covering virtually every protocol in use in networking today. With a power consumption of 3W - 5W per 10Gbps interface, the Fiber Driver optical multiservice platform consumes 20% - 30% less power than competing optical transport systems. In testing using the TEEER power efficiency standard, the Fiber Driver achieved a rating up to 9.84 out of 10, making it one of the highest efficiency optical networking systems on the market.

About MRV Communications, Inc.

MRV Communications, Inc. is a leading provider of packet switching, packet optical (POTS), physical layer and out-of-band networking equipment, services and optical components for high-speed carrier and enterprise networks and specialized aerospace, defense and other communications networks. Through its wholly owned SourcePhotonics, Inc. subsidiary, the company provides optical communications components for access and fiber-to-the-premises applications. MRV markets and sells its products worldwide, with operations in Europe that provide network system design, integration and distribution. For more information please call (978) 431-5011 or visit our websites at www.mrv.com and www.sourcephotonics.com.