The expansion of AI computing power is evolving from centralized hyperscale data centers to distributed architectures. When AI inference tasks need to be completed at edge nodes close to users, the interconnection bandwidth and transmission distance between data centers become new technical challenges.
TrendForce points out that the rise of edge computing and data center interconnect (DCI) demand will simultaneously drive the expansion of the 800G and 1.6T ZR/ZR+ coherent optical module market. Dell’Oro Group predicts that the IPoDWDM market will grow at a 27% compound annual growth rate, and the deployment of scale-across data center interconnection is expected to drive the market toward more ZR+ pluggable modules.
The technical capabilities of 800G ZR/ZR+ coherent optical modules are impressive. A single-wavelength 800G signal can transmit about 120 kilometers under the 800ZR standard, and more than 1,000 kilometers under ZR+/OpenROADM configurations. This means a data center cluster can span an entire metropolitan area or even connect different cities without deploying expensive dedicated DWDM transmission equipment.
FS's newly launched 800G OSFP/QSFP-DD ZR/ZR+ coherent optical module solution supports 800G transmission over 120 km and 500 km on single-mode fiber. The commercialization of such products marks the rapid penetration of coherent optical technology from traditional telecom backbone networks into data center interconnection scenarios.
For North American buyers, the selection of coherent optical modules requires comprehensive consideration of transmission distance, fiber resources, power budget, and operations and maintenance costs. In intra-campus interconnection scenarios, standard 800G DR8 or FR8 modules remain the more economical choice; in cross-campus and cross-city DCI scenarios, the deployment of 800G ZR/ZR+ can significantly simplify network architecture and reduce investment in relay equipment.
