Ericsson Review

ENGINE Access Ramp—The next-generation access architecture

Written by: Jan-Olof Andersson and Peter Linder

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The access network is evolving into a multiservice environment which is capable of delivering high-capacity bandwidth to end-users, and which simultaneously supports several different kinds of service—PSTN/ISDN, ATM, frame relay, and IP. Ericsson has defined a set of elements for the access network that are flexible and fit into many structures. These elements incude a customer access unit, multiservice access node, access transport and connectivity network, edge node, and access-management layer.

The authors describe Ericsson’s ENGINE Access Ramp, which provides access solutions for any copper network: the PSTN for network upgrades and expansion; ISDN, for capitalizing on the digital access boom; and xDSL, for migrating toward broadband services. The beauty of the system is that the whole range of services is provided from the same access platform. A common subrack is used for all kinds of line card. Element management has been integrated into a single environment for narrowband and broadband services. The system can be configured to support a single access type, such as ADSL, or mixed access determined by the service mix in an operator’s business plan. Furthermore, it is offered with an AXE interface or a V5.2 interface for circuit-switched applications, and access to the backbone network for cell- and packet-based traffic is supported with optical and legacy interfaces.

[First published in Ericsson Review no. 03, 2000]