In the landscape of 5G expansion and 8K ultra-HD broadcasting, network engineers often face a critical bottleneck: Fiber Exhaustion. Leasing or laying new fiber-optic cables in metropolitan areas is both time-consuming and cost-prohibitive. The 100G BIDI QSFP28 30km transceiver emerges as a game-changer, enabling high-capacity 100Gbps transmission over a single strand of fiber, effectively doubling the capacity of existing infrastructure.

The Science of Bidirectional Transmission

Traditional 100G LR4 or ER4 modules require a dual-fiber pair (one for Transmit and one for Receive). In contrast, the BIDI (Bidirectional) technology utilizes Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) to send and receive signals at different wavelengths simultaneously over the same fiber. Typically, these modules work in pairs, such as 1271nm-Tx/1331nm-Rx and 1331nm-Tx/1271nm-Rx.

By using a Simplex LC connector instead of Duplex, the 100G-BX30 solution reduces cable management complexity by 50% while extending the reach far beyond standard 10km LR4 modules without needing the high-power cooling of 40km ER4 optics.

Technical Specifications and Link Budget Requirements

For Univiso users deploying high-bitrate video backhaul, the stability of the optical link budget is paramount. The 30km reach is the "sweet spot" for regional data centers and remote production sites. However, achieving this distance requires precise attention to PAM4 modulation and Forward Error Correction (FEC).

Expert Insight: When deploying 100G BIDI 30km modules in high-density broadcast racks, always monitor the Pre-FEC Bit Error Rate (BER). Because PAM4 reduces the signal-to-noise ratio margin compared to NRZ, ensuring a clean LC connector face is the most effective way to prevent intermittent link flapping.

Why 30km is Critical for 8K Video Backhaul

Standard 10km modules often fall short in stadium-to-studio links, while 40km modules are frequently overkill and more expensive. The 30km BIDI module provides a cost-optimized solution for the Univiso ecosystem, ensuring that uncompressed or lightly compressed 8K video feeds can be aggregated and transmitted with minimal latency and zero packet loss over existing single-fiber urban loops.