Interoperability is a term used for assuming that equipment/technology is successfully operating between different manufacturers, without any problem. One of the interoperability standards is SIEPON. It is a system-level and network-level standard ensuring interoperability between multiple equipment manufacturers products on transport, service, and control levels. The standard IEEE P1904.1 (SIEPON) is used for physical and data link layers.

P1904.1 unites the carriers, chip vendors, and manufacturers in order to create worldwide standard with certification and testing program, which will result in cost reduction of the equipment.

SIEPON is demonstrating growing demand in global standardization and interoperability on low level protocols. In future it may result in union of information and communication technologies.