EVOLUTION PHASES TO AN ULTRA-BROAD-BAND ACCESS NETWORK - RESULTS FROMACTS-PLANET

This article presents a new systematic approach to network evolution, considering access and core network evolution as a whole. The evolutio n phases are designed to fulfill the following evolution requirements. Each phase provides an incentive to the operator and the customer by providing more functionality, higher bit rates, or reduced cost. The p hases are realistic for low penetration and match the growth of infras tructure to the gradual growth of the demand. Technologies are indepen dently introduced in the access and core networks depending on demand. The evolution scenario starts with ADSL and evolves toward ultra-broa dband access networks based on SuperPON architectures. The new Enhance d APON architecture is introduced as a practical intermediate evolutio n phase. For the first time, the principle of segmentation is applied to APONs/SuperPONs to enable gradual growth in number of subscribers a nd network capacity. Optical channels and wavelength-division multible xing are introduced in the core network.