Many 5G fronthaul sites were built with a single fiber strand to the tower. BIDI optics let you move from 10G to 25G without pulling new cable — provided the wavelength pairing and the temperature grade are right.
The constraint is usually fiber, not equipment
Fronthaul upgrades stall for a simple reason: the duct to the tower holds one fiber, and pulling a second is expensive or impossible. A BIDI module transmits and receives on different wavelengths over that single strand, so the capacity upgrade does not require new cable.
Pairing rules
- 1270nm transmit pairs with 1330nm receive at the far end, and the reverse unit at the near end. The two ends are not identical parts.
- Both ends must be ordered as a matched pair — a 25G BIDI will not link with a 10G BIDI.
- Check the existing 10G BIDI wavelength plan first, so the new 25G pair does not collide with a neighbouring link in the same cable.
Choose the industrial temperature grade
Outdoor cabinets and pole-mounted enclosures routinely exceed the commercial 0~70C window in summer. Our SFP28 25G BIDI modules are available in the industrial -40~+85C grade, which is the grade we recommend for any unheated enclosure.
Related items
For cabinet-level aggregation, pair these with our industrial switches rated to -40~85C with IP40 protection and 4KV surge protection. For midhaul and longer runs, the standard 25G SFP28 LR and ER variants cover 10km and 30km respectively.
Questions about this topic?
Send us the equipment model and the link requirements you are working with — our engineering team will recommend the matching configuration.
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