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

When an end customer praises or complains about “Internet,” the chances are the subject of the conversation is specifically the access network. Yet network operators were relatively slow introducing optical technologies into the access segment of data communications compared with backbone and metro. However, once fiber appeared in the access, the field quickly became a fertile ground of technological innovations. Based on Verizon’s experience, we analyze the operator’s broadband deployments, review the standardization landscape, and discuss recent innovations in optical access.