The (r)evolution of access networks for the information superhighway

Competition in deregulated telecommunication markets forces network operators to modernize their access networks - often called the ''last mile'' to the customer - to provide a mix of multimedia and traditional telecommunication services, Economics necessitate an evolutionary, step-by-step approach to migrate from the present access infrastructure - composed mainly of existing telephone networks and cable TV networks - to the ultimate information superhighway. At the end of the day, however, networks of different operators should provide interconnectivity for the same set of services. In this article a system concept is described that drives access network technology toward a ''common platform'' with generic access methods, cognate routing and switching, and common, standardized communication protocols. Simulation results show some performance figures of the common platform concept. An implementation on a CATV network is presented as well.