MIPS Technologies' MIPS32 74K core powers advanced GPON processors from BroadLight

SUNNYVALE, USA: MIPS Technologies Inc., a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital consumer, home networking, wireless, communications and business applications, and BroadLight, a leading supplier of fiber access processors, announced that BroadLight's BL23500 third generation GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) processor family is powered by the MIPS32 74K core.

In the BL23500 processors, the powerful 74K core running at 1GHz controls ONT (optical network terminal), RGW (residential gateway) and PON (passive optical network) functionality.

The fast growth of multimedia content and new services, both for consumer and enterprise customers, has brought high-bandwidth PON fiber access technology to the forefront as a key enabler of next-generation networks. Providing bandwidth of 2.5Gbps downstream and 1.25Gbps upstream, GPON technology can cost-effectively support tremendous amounts of network traffic.

The highly scalable MIPS architecture provides performance, power and area efficiency for GPON CPE (customer premises equipment) and residential gateways, as well as GPON OLT (optical line terminals) for high-end carrier applications.

"Continuing our long and successful relationship with MIPS Technologies, we are pleased to leverage the superscalar 74K core, which enables high performance, low power, quality of service, and other features that provide a superior experience in our SoCs," said Igor Elkanovich, vice president of VLSI, BroadLight.

"GPON processors for the fiber access mass market must provide fiber class services, top performance and a high quality of experience at the lowest possible cost. With the 74K core in our innovative architecture, the BL23500 GPON family features the most cost effective implementation, lowest power consumption and the lowest cost of manufacturing of any chip in its class."

"MIPS Technologies provides the number one processor architecture for broadband access markets including DSL, cable and PON, with MIPS processors continuing to lead the way in fast-growing segments such as GPON. As a long-time MIPS licensee, BroadLight continues to push the envelope of innovation with its high-performance, cost-effective, low-power products for fiber access and other networking market segments," said Art Swift, vice president of marketing and business development, MIPS Technologies.

The BL23500 offers a fiber grade architecture that meets both GPON CPE platform requirements and emerging GPON RGW market requirements. The BL23500 processors are now shipping to customers worldwide, including GPON processors for VoIP SFU (single family unit)/gateway applications, VoIP SFU designs, MDU (multiple dwelling unit) applications, VoIP SFU/gateway applications processing, and SFU/SFP (small form factor pluggable) transceiver designs.

Publicly announced customers of the BL23500 family include Gemtek, the industry-leading maker of broadband wireless and VoIP devices; Taiwan's Billion Electric Co. Ltd., one of the leading providers of network equipment and power supply products in Asia Pacific; Edimax Technology, a global manufacturer of a broad range of networking and connectivity solutions; and Korea's Deonet, a leading GPON CPE supplier.