The CFP transceiver is specified by a [[multi-source agreement]] (MSA) among competing manufacturers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cfp-msa.org/|website=CFP MSA|accessdate=24 April 2018|title=CFP Multi-Source Agreement}}</ref> The CFP was designed after the [[smallSmall formForm-factor pluggablePluggable transceiver]] (SFP) interface, but is significantly larger to support 100 Gbit/s. While the electrical connection of a CFP uses {{nowrap|10 × 10 Gbit/s}} lanes in each direction (RX, TX),<ref name="CFP1.4">{{Cite web | title=CFP MSA Hardware Specification, Rev. 1.4 | url=http://www.cfp-msa.org/Documents/CFP-MSA-HW-Spec-rev1-40.pdf | accessdate=2010-07-02}}</ref> the optical connection can support both {{nowrap|10 × 10 Gbit/s}} and {{nowrap|4 × 25 Gbit/s}} variants of 100 Gbit/s interconnects (typically referred to as 100GBASE-SR10 in 100 meter [[multi-mode optical fiber|MMF]], 100GBASE-LR10 and 100GBASE-LR4 in 10 km [[single-mode optical fiber|SMF]] reach, and 100GBASE-ER10 and 100GBASE-ER4 in 40 km SMF reach respectively.)<ref>{{Cite web | title=Operational Considerations for Deploying 100 Gigabit Ethernet | url=http://www.nanog.org/meetings/nanog51/presentations/Monday/NANOG51.Talk32.hankins-nanog51-100-gbe.pdf | accessdate=2012-01-12}}</ref>
In March 2009, [[Santur Corporation]] demonstrated a 100 Gigabit pluggable CFP transceiver prototype.<ref>{{cite web|title=Santur Delivers the World's First 100Gb/s Transceiver Platform for Client Connectivity Based on Photonic Intelligent Integration |url=http://www.santurcorp.com/pressrel_03-23-09b.htm |date=March 23, 2009 |work=news release |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090927163337/http://www.santurcorp.com/pressrel_03-23-09b.htm |archivedate=September 27, 2009 |url-status=dead |accessdate=May 27, 2013 }}</ref>
