SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - August 21, 2006 - Novera Optics today announced the TurboLIGHT™16, a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) fiber-to-the-x (FTTx) optical access transport platform that is the first passive optical network (PON) system to deliver 20 Gbps of symmetrical bandwidth over a single feeder fiber.

Based on Novera Optics' л-PON™ (Lambda-PON) automatic wavelength-locking technology, TurboLIGHT16 eliminates the need for expensive wavelength-specific optical network units (ONUs) and eliminates problems of bandwidth sharing, bandwidth upgrades, and mixed-service delivery over a PON.

The new platform utilizes identical colorless Gigabit Ethernet DWDM optical transceivers for low installation and operating costs. It carries 16 1.25-Gbps bidirectional data streams using 32 independent wavelengths. In addition, the system provides the flexibility of mixed-mode capabilities, allowing transport at different bit rates (125 Mbps to 1.25 Gbps) on the same platform. Existing SpeedLIGHT™ modules provide a bit rate of 125 Mbps.

TurboLIGHT16 enables a wide range of differentiated, dedicated point-to-point connectivity services by providing an easy upgrade path, symmetrical downstream and upstream bandwidth, and multiprotocol transparency to allow any protocol and any data rate to be carried over the same fiber infrastructure.

"TurboLIGHT16 is the only PON system capable of delivering symmetrical 20 Gbps of bandwidth over a single fiber," said Bernd Hesse, vice president of marketing and business development at Novera Optics. "It dramatically improves the ability of service providers to deliver the bandwidth their customers need now and in the future by combining simplicity, security, scalability, and the versatility to deliver any service at any time. TurboLIGHT16 is the perfect fit for backhaul applications in the access network."

TurboLIGHT16 is being offered in both modular form for integration by system vendors and in complete system form for plug-and-play use by telecom carriers deploying FTTx broadband access technologies, for which it greatly reduces capital equipment costs and operating expenses. The product will be available in Q4 of 2006.

For more information on TurboLIGHT16, please visit http://www.noveraoptics.com/technology/turbolight.php .