Programmable implementations of xDSL transceiver systems

After a brief background on DSL technology, this article evaluates the trad e-offs between programmable and custom implementations of communications pr oducts with an emphasis on xDSL modems. These trade-offs include time to ma rket, risk, flexibility, power consumption, and cost. A key issue is the pr ocessing power required to implement the modem. The article takes a detaile d look at the processing power required to implement an ADSL or VDSL modem on a programmable platform. It is demonstrated that today's digital signal processors meet the processing power requirements for an ADSL modem, and it is estimated that the processing requirements of a VDSL modem will be met in the near future.