Adtran sets intra-data-center benchmark with all-new ultra-low-power LiteWave800™ LPO module

News summary:

• AI clusters and GPU fabrics demand massive capacity, yet traditional 800G optics increase energy consumption, heat and cost burdens
• Adtran's LiteWave800™ introduces a new class of ultra-low-power, low-latency DR8 LPO modules built on a fully re-engineered design
• Breakthrough energy efficiency of 1pJ/bit enables greener, scalable intra-data-center links for next-generation AI and cloud workloads

Adtran today launched LiteWave800™, an ultra-low-power 800Gbit/s DR8 linear pluggable optics (LPO) module engineered to help data centers address the power, latency, thermal and bandwidth demands of modern AI and machine-learning (ML) workloads. As GPU clusters grow and short-reach links scale across dense server racks, operators need 800Gbit/s optics that deliver higher capacity within strict power and cooling limits. LiteWave800™ answers this challenge with a fully re-engineered architecture that significantly reduces energy consumption. Operating at just 1pJ/bit and consuming only 0.8W, it establishes a new power class for 800Gbit/s optics, delivering far lower energy per bit than today's first-generation LPOs and mainstream DSP-based pluggable transceivers. Adtran will showcase LiteWave800™ at OFC 2026 in Los Angeles from March 17 to 19.

"Data center operators are hitting a wall on power and thermal budgets as AI workloads continue to scale," said Christoph Glingener, CTO of Adtran. "LiteWave800™ breaks through that barrier. It sets a new benchmark for 800Gbit/s optics by delivering dramatically improved energy efficiency, reducing the power and cooling envelope and giving operators a practical way to expand AI clusters without expanding their energy footprint. Instead of forcing data center operators to choose between performance and sustainability, LiteWave800™ enables both. It empowers our customers to build denser, lower-latency fabrics, unlock valuable thermal headroom and scale with confidence as AI demand accelerates, all while protecting their long-term infrastructure investments."

Adtran's LiteWave800™ is engineered for the high-density, latency-sensitive links that underpin AI and ML fabrics. Its innovative LPO design combines single-mode VCSEL technology with Adtran's in-house low-power electronics and integration expertise to streamline the signal path, reduce latency and deliver exceptional energy-per-bit performance. By owning both the optics and the electronics, Adtran optimizes LiteWave800™ holistically at the module level, enabling efficiency gains that aren't possible with discrete component designs. LiteWave800™ supports the LPO MSA specification, based on a standardized 100Gbit/s-DR-LPO optical interface and OSFP form factor, ensuring broad compatibility with existing host devices and enabling integration across multi-vendor environments.

"As operators invest heavily in next-generation AI infrastructure, energy efficiency is becoming the dominant constraint," commented Ross Saunders, GM of optical engines at Adtran. "Simply adding bandwidth with DSP-based optics isn't sustainable at 800Gbit/s and beyond. Our new LiteWave800™ enables customers to scale performance without escalating energy costs or operational complexity. It builds on Adtran's proven optical expertise and vertical-integration innovation, ensuring consistent performance, link stability and reliability as AI environments grow. And with power dissipation approximately 12 to 18 times lower than DSP-based optics and 6 to 10 times lower than first-generation LPOs, LiteWave800™ raises the bar for efficiency in AI data-center fabrics. This will be key to enabling operators to expand capacity while keeping energy and cooling overheads firmly under control."