Abstract
Fixed-broadband access technology is evolving from exclusively copper-based solutions to hybrid fiber-copper architectures. This article presents the expected next step in the evolution of broadband systems, which we call the fourth-generation broadband concept. It identifies a technical, infrastructural, and economical niche and describes how the fiber-access network is extended and forked to feed a last and ultimate generation of DSL systems, shown to have gigabit potential. The underlying infrastructural concept is presented, economic aspects are described and discussed, and achievable data rates are calculated.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 62-69 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | IEEE Communications Magazine |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |
Keywords
- Broadband communication
- Optical fiber cables
- Optical fiber communication
- Optical fiber devices
- Optical fiber networks
- Optical fibers
- Wires