Developments in optical access networks

Abstract

Optical fibre access network technology has become more complex over the last few years with bit rates steadily increasing. PONsystems are available with bit rates in the range 155 Mbit/s to, currently, 622 Mbit/s. Newly designed systems, both PON andpoint-to-point, will allow this trend to continue with 2.5 Gbit/s systems becoming practicable in the near future.With this increase in technology has come an increase in the opportunities for fibre systems to cost-reduce more of the network,including the “metro” space – a fact which increases the appeal of the technology.Some of the newer PON systems are being designed using Ethernet as the underlying technology with a promise of reducing theprice of the technology still further. How this will occur in practice, however, is still unclear.What is certain is that optical access technologies are expanding and are sure to find openings in real networks in the foreseeablefuture.