Question: Would the MAX3945 be recommended for an OLT application with continuous mode downstream and burst mode upstream?
Answer: Continuous 10G downstream data is not an issue. Burst-mode upstream is an issue. The delay for enable and disable on these continuous-mode transmitters can be fairly long, typically > 1us. Whereas burst-mode drivers can typically burst on-off/off-on < 2ns. The power control loops for burst mode operation have to be specially designed to accommodate low duty-cycle burst-on vs burst-off periods using sample-and-hold circuits. It is difficult for any continuous-mode driver to work in a burst-mode application.