Challenges of optical access networks

Summary form only given. Broadband access and in-house networks are prerequisites for both business and private customers for future multimedia Internet communication. Current solutions for providing capacities of more than 100 Mbit/s to residential customers and up to several gigabits per second to business customers and enterprises are too expensive in both installation and operation, and are not ready for volume production. As potential candidates for overcoming cost barriers, WDM based solutions of optical access networks are the main focus of this contribution, where aspects of cost-efficiency, simplicity, versatility, and practical issues of installation and introduction are addressed. Moreover, recent developments in the optical access network domain are touched, and the customer's need for short period high-speed transmission capacity is illustrated.