the International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) developed the standards of 50 Gbit/s Passive Optical Network (PON). Currently
the equipment manufacturers and operators have completed prototype verification. ITU-T has established the Beyond 50 Gbit/s PON discussion group to explore future PON-related technical solutions. As a result
beyond 50 Gbit/s PON has become a research hotspot in the field of optical communication. According to the evolutionary pattern of previous PON standards
it is anticipated that the data rate of beyond 50 Gbit/s PON will exceed 100 Gbit/s. This article analyzes the problems and challenges faced by beyond 100 Gbit/s PON
focusing on two potential technological paths: flexible-rate PON and coherent PON architecture
along with their key technical solutions. This study provides references for future research and standardization of beyond100 Gbit/s PON.
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