You can independently configure each of the four interfaces to support the Optical Transport Network (OTN) wrapper. Combining the XFP and OTN configuration enables multiple configurations. For example, two gray XFPs with no OTN on 2-port and 2-DWDM XFPs with OTN wrapper enabled allow this card to act as two 10G transponders in a single board. Using amplification and dispersion compensation, the OTU2 XPonder card is capable of a 1000-km reach. When operated within the outlined specifications, each card will transport the 10-Gbps signal with a maximum bite error rate (BER) of 10E-15.

The OTU2 XPonder cards are deployable in the 12 multiservice interface card slots of the Cisco ONS 15454 platform, in systems with or without cross-connect cards. The only required common card is the appropriate timing, communications, and control card (TCC2P). It is therefore possible to have twenty-four 10G transponders on a single Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP shelf.