VIAVI Solutions Expands ONE LabPro® ONE-1600 Testing Platform to Meet Growing Demand for 1.6Tb Optical Components
1. Introduction
On September 25, 2025, VIAVI Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAV) announced significant enhancements to its ONE LabPro® testing and validation platform, introducing the new ONE-1600ER module. This expansion aims to support the burgeoning demand for 1.6Tb optical components in a technology landscape increasingly driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
2. Advancements in Testing Technology
With infrastructure operators deploying 1.6Tb optical transceivers alongside other enabling technologies, the ONE LabPro platform plays a pivotal role in facilitating high-capacity testing. The recently launched ONE-1600ER module builds upon the success of the original ONE-1600 and the second-generation ONE-1600IE solutions, providing comprehensive testing capabilities on a single platform.
Tom Fawcett, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Lab and Production at VIAVI, emphasized the company's leadership in the industry, stating, "VIAVI was first to market with a 1.6Tb solution, and over the past year, the ONE-1600 has remained the only test tool to successfully complete interoperability tests against all known 200G/lane gearboxes and more than ten module vendors." This highlights VIAVI's commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements in optical testing.
3. Enhanced Features of the ONE-1600ER Module
The ONE-1600ER module extends the capabilities of the ONE LabPro platform with several key features:
- Full Ethernet Support: Compliant with the latest 802.3dj specification, the module supports 1.6Tb and 8x200G testing, which is essential for analyzing 200G lanes at 224G SERDES.
- Native Support for Riding Heat Sink (RHS): The module also supports OSFP 1600G modules, allowing for comprehensive testing through standards such as RFC2544.
- Electrical and Optical Support: It provides full support for Direct Attach Copper (DAC) cables, Active Optical Cables (AOC), and various other optical connections.
- Power and Cooling Management: Designed for next-generation 1.6Tb coherent modules like 1600ZR and 1600LR/ER, the ONE-1600ER incorporates robust power and cooling management properties.
- New Testing Features: The module introduces inter-sublayer link training (ILT) and symbol muxing to ensure full interoperability, both critical for the evolving landscape of high-speed optical communications.
4. Addressing Challenges in AI and Optical Technologies
As AI-driven demand continues to reshape the optical component landscape, manufacturers face unprecedented scaling challenges. VIAVI's advancements in the MAP-300 platform and its inspection and cleaning portfolios are designed to address these issues. Key enhancements include:
- High-Density Variable Attenuator (mVOA-C2B): A new 12-channel, single-slot variable optical attenuator optimized for parallel optic applications.
- PM-Fiber Optical Switching (mOSW-C1): New low-loss, high-extinction ratio polarization-maintaining fiber switches tailored for silicon photonics test applications.
- FiberChek ULTRA Connector Inspection: Enhancements that support the volume manufacturing of new connector and fiber types necessary for high-density AI deployments.
5. Upcoming Showcase at ECOC 2025
The ONE-1600 and MAP-300 platforms will be showcased at VIAVI's stand C3313 during the ECOC 2025 event, taking place from September 29 to October 1 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore VIAVI's comprehensive testing solutions for high-capacity networks and data center cabling.
In a collaborative effort with Alphawave Semi, VIAVI will also demonstrate seamless PCIe® 6.0 interoperability over an optical link at Alphawave's stand 1428. This collaboration aims to showcase advancements in PCIe 6.0 deployments and the importance of optical interconnects in meeting growing bandwidth and scalability demands.
6. Conclusion
VIAVI Solutions Inc.'s latest enhancements to the ONE LabPro® ONE-1600 testing platform signify a crucial step forward in supporting the telecommunications industry's transition to higher capacity optical components. With robust features designed for the rapidly evolving AI landscape, VIAVI is well-positioned to meet the growing demands for performance and efficiency in optical testing.
