A PRECOMPETITIVE CONSORTIUM ON WIDE-BAND ALL-OPTICAL NETWORKS

This paper represents the technical core of a precompetitive consortiu m formed by AT&T, DEC and MIT to study the technology, architecture an d applications of wide-band all-optical networks of local to national (or international) extent. This effort is currently partially sponsore d by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Sections I and II of this paper provide a general introduction to all-optical ne tworks and discuss some proposed applications. Sections III, IV and V cover the architecture, technology and test-bed portions of our effort .