Abstract

This paper discusses the future direction of optical access networks and proposes a new optical access architecture that will support the evolution of optical access systems from a fiber-to-the-home infrastructure to a common optical access platform that connects various devices and systems to anywhere they want to reach. We describe two technologies for its implementation. One is “modularization,” which is expected to be realized before 2030, and the other is “full softwarization,” which is the longer-term goal of drastically increasing network flexibility. For each technology, we summarize related technical trends and discuss a reasonable system configuration focusing on the access nodes.

© 2020 Optical Society of America

Disaggregation and virtualization for future access and metro networks [Invited Tutorial]

Jun-ichi Kani, Takahiro Suzuki, Yasutaka Kimura, Shin Kaneko, Sang-Yuep Kim, and Tomoaki Yoshida
J. Opt. Commun. Netw. 17(1) A1-A12 (2025)

Coexistence in future optical access networks from an operator’s perspective [Invited]

Fabienne Saliou, Gaël Simon, Stéphane Le Huérou, Philippe Chanclou, Jérémy Potet, Georges Gaillard, Ugo Percevault, Dylan Chevalier, Joseph Zandueta, Bo Yang, Christos Vagionas, Marios Gatzianas, Georgios Kalfas, Theodoros Moschos, Amalia Miliou, and Nikos Pleros
J. Opt. Commun. Netw. 16(1) A78-A88 (2024)

Charting the future of optical access networks: an operator’s perspective [Invited]

Jun Shan Wey, Denis A. Khotimsky, Mark T. Watts, and Rajesh Yadav
J. Opt. Commun. Netw. 15(7) C1-C8 (2023)

SDN East–West cooperation in a converged fixed-mobile optical access network: enabling 5G slicing capabilities

Minqi Wang, Gaël Simon, Luiz Anet Neto, Isabel Amigo, Loutfi Nuaymi, and Philippe Chanclou
J. Opt. Commun. Netw. 14(7) 540-549 (2022)

Optical access evolutions towards SDN and disaggregated hardware: an operator perspective [Invited]

Gaël Simon, Philippe Chanclou, Minqi Wang, Daniel Abgrall, and David Minodier
J. Opt. Commun. Netw. 14(6) C57-C69 (2022)