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Deep-fiber broadband access networks

Ericsson Review, no. 01, 2007

Written by: Joe Baker, Torbjörn Cagenius, Colin Goodwin, Mats Hansson and Martin Hatas

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Millions of subscribers around the world are today connected via deep-fiber broadband (FTTx) access. Countries with notable installations are Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the USA. In some countries FTTx constitutes the fastest-growing type of broadband access. One of the driving forces for FTTx access is surging demand for IPTV fueled by the transition to HDTV. Important aspects that affect the deployment of FTTx access networks are regulatory conditions and competition, which vary from country to country.

The authors describe Ericsson's FTTx access solution, which emphasizes recent additions of GPON and VDSL2 to the product portfolio. They also highlight lessons learned from several years of deploying FTTx networks.

Introduction to GPON and FTTx broadband networks
Early deep-fiber broadband (FTTx) access networks seldom had to deliver more than fast internet access. Today's broadband access networks, by contrast, are expected to deliver a bundle of services, such as the popular triple-play offering of internet access, telephony, and TV and video services. Of these, TV and video have the greatest appeal but they are also the most bandwidth-hungry of services.

This combination - subscriber appeal and the requirement for bandwidth - is driving the demand for higher speeds (50-75Mbps). Analysts anticipate that the growing trend to deploy FTTx broadband access will continue for many years (Figure 1) because: 

  • a growing number of homes have more than one TV set (HDTV);
  • video services are increasingly becoming personalized and on-demand; and
  • new forms of user behavior, such as video blogs, continue to grow in popularity.

Two new key access technologies and standards, GPON and VDSL2, have been developed and ratified, enabling vendors to deliver new products. Ericsson expects to see major rollouts of both of these technologies in 2007 as carriers seek to gain the formidable advantage of being first movers.

Traditional incumbents are not the only parties building FTTx networks. In many countries, utilities and municipal operators were the first to build (often with government support). And not surprisingly, where FTTx networks exist or are being deployed, cable TV operators are quick to respond, sometimes with FTTx initiatives of their own.

High-speed access technology
 In recent years, IEEE and ITU-T have ratified standards for several important new technologies. Vendors, in turn, have incorporated these standards into products that are now ready for large-scale deployment in FTTx networks.

This article examines the two most recent standards, GPON and VDSL2, which build on and effectively replace earlier standards (BPON and VDSL). At first thought, one might think of the GPON and VDSL2 standards as competing technologies, but Ericsson considers them complementary and has incorporated them into the EDA broadband access family (Figure 2). In all likelihood, operators will have to use both of these technologies to provide a comprehensive and flexible access solution.