The 16 fiber MPO module (such as MPO 16 connector to 8x LC/SC connectors) has unique advantages in ultra-high-density transmission and protocol compatibility, which has a great application difference with the 8/12/24 fiber MPO modules. When choosing the 16 Fiber MPO modules, we mainly consider the special requirements for polarity management, fiber type matching and operation and maintenance tools.
Notes on the selection of 16 fiber MPO cassette
Special requirements for polarity management
The main application is MPO type b + cross fiber architecture. For example, MPO-16 pins 1-8 fiber correspond to LC1 to LC8 (even port inversion) and require a dedicated test MPO jumper. If the configuration is wrong, 100% data packet loss will occur.
Fiber type matching
Different fiber types MPO modules are suitable for different application scenarios, as follows:
OM5 MPO Casstte
- Mainly used in data center 400G
- Transmission distance ≤150m
- Loss ≤0.3dB @850nm
Singlemode MPO Casstte
- Mainly used in 5G bearer network
- Transmission distance ≤ 10km
- Loss≤ 0.4dB @1310nm
OM4 MPO Cassette
- Mainly used in industrial control
- Transmission distance ≤300m
- Loss≤0.5dB @850nm
Operation and maintenance tool selection
Yingda provides a variety of cleaning tools specifically for 16 fiber MPO connectors.
MPO 16 connector cleaner pen
- The cleaning frequency is more than 500 times;
- One click cleaning cleaner penClean dust and grease through electrostatic adsorption;
- Simple operation, fast and convenient, and low cost;
- Individual package with user manual
MPO connector cleaning box
- Clean the male MPO connector by sliding the cover to expose the cleaning cloth and wiping the ferrule end face in the specified direction;
- More than 500 cleaning times, Only for MPO male connector, not suitable for MPO female connectors;
- Individual package with user manual
Kimtech dust-free paper
- Wipe the end face of the MPO connector by soaked in anhydrous ethanol as a cleaning agent;
- Clean dust and grease easily and completely;
- Low-dust and lint-free design, effectively prevent secondary contamination;
- Suitable for delicate operating environments;
- Applicable to both MPO male and female connectors
Main application scenarios of 16 Fiber MPO module
16 Fiber MPO module is mainly used in the following three emerging scenarios. In the following, Yingda will further introduce the application characteristics and advantages of each in detail:
- 400G/800G data center
- 5G mid-transmission, bearer network
- Industry 4.0 high-performance scenario
400G/800G data center core scenario
1. 400G-DR4/SR4.2 interconnection
Protocol adaptation:
- 400G-DR4: Single MPO 16 connector carries 4×100G channels (8×LC duplex output required)
- 400G-SR4.2: Supports dual-wavelength multiplexing (850nm/910nm), MPO 16 connector to 8 × LC dual connectors to achieve 8 way 50G
Deployment advantages:
- 1U MPO panel deploys 6 x 16 fiber mpo modules → 48 400G ports (33% density increase compared to 12 fiber MPO module solution)
- Compatible with OSFP/QSFP-DD optical modules (such as Cisco QSFP-DD-400G-DR4-S)
2.800G pre-deployment architecture
For example, Alibaba Cloud Zhangbei Data Center uses 16 fiber MPO module boxes, and the single cabinet deployment density reaches 768 400G ports. The basic architecture of the deployment is shown in the figure below:
The core value of this solution is to split a single 32 fiber MPO cable into two 16 fiber MPO module boxes, which smoothly upgrade to 800G, while supporting the 800G-SR8 (8x100G) protocol (IEEE 802.3ck draft).
5G mid-haul/bearing network high-capacity node
1. DU-CU pool interconnection
- Networking requirements: 25G fronthaul + 100G mid-haul hybrid bearer, single node connection ≥12 AAU + 3 CU.
- Configuration: MPO 16 connector to 8xLC dual module, of which 4xLC dual connector is used for 4 AAUs (25Gx4), and 4xLC dual connector is used for 2 CUs (100G dual-link redundancy).
2. Open-RAN decoupled architecture
- Core parameter requirements: latency≤ 2us meets the 3GPP TR 38.801 standard, and insertion loss tolerance±0.2dB meets the GR-1435 standard.
| Interface type | Module box conversion solution | Capacity improvement effect |
| Radio unit (RU) | MPO-16→8xLC | Single fiber carries 8 RUs |
| Distributed unit (DU) | Dual MPO-16→16xLC | Supports 16 RU scheduling |
Industry 4.0 high-performance scenarios
1. Ultra-high-speed acquisition of machine vision
- Application requirements: 10 8K industrial cameras, each with 12Gbps for synchronous transmission, and real-time AI defect detection, with a response time of≤10ms.
- Solution: MPO-16 to 8x SC module box: single module transmission 96Gbps (8x12G), armored design to resist 50G mechanical shock
2. Semiconductor lithography equipment
- Semiconductor lithography equipment environmental specifications require Class 1000 clean room compatibility, particle release<5/ft³and EMI shielding≥90dB @1-10GHz.
| Subsystem | Signal type | Function of 16 fiber MPO module |
| Laser source | 24 control signals | MPO-16 to 8xLC+8-core direct pass |
| Wafer stage positioning | 10G synchronous busx 4 | Redundant link aggregation |
Comparison of 16 Fiber MPO module vs other fiber MPO cassette module
| Parameters | 16 Fiber MPO Module | 12 Fiber MPO Module | 24 Fiber MPO Module |
| Core scenarios | 400G 800G data center | 100G data center, 5G fronthaul | FTTH backbone, broadcasting |
| Protocol adaptation | 400G-DR4, 800G-SR8 | 100G-SR4 | No specific high-bandwidth protocol |
| Port density | 1U MPO panel supports 48 ports | 1U MPO panel supports 36 ports | 1U MPO panel supports 72 ports |
| Industrial applicability | Supports 100,000 plug-in and pull-out cycles (IEC 61753) | Standard 50,000 times | Complex structure and low reliability |
| Evolution capability | Smooth upgrade to 800G | Only supports up to 400G | No direct upgrade path |
Conclusion
The 16 fiber MPO module is the core interface conversion hub in the 400G 800G era. Its core value are:
✅ Native protocol support: The only modular solution that meets the 400G-DR4, 800G-SR8 standards. It is a must-have product for 400G and above, with pre-buried 16 fiber MPO fiber links.
✅ Evolutionary smoothness: Seamlessly upgrade to 1.6T through MPO-32 branching
✅ Industrial-grade reliability: The plug-in life is twice that of the 12 fiber mpo module box, replacing the 12 fiber solution to meet the bandwidth requirements for the next 10 years.
✅ It is the preferred product for the mid-transmission node of the 5G bearer network, taking into account both capacity and cost advantages.
✅ In the future, CPO integrated for example: NVIDIA Grace Hopper supercomputer uses MPO 16 direct-connected CPO engine, and the delay will be reduced to 5ns; Japan’s NTT experiment uses 7-core MCF fiber and 16 fiber MPO module to achieve 112-core equivalent density.
