Modular remote powering as an alternative for an easy to build high speed access network

Since the 1990s, France Telecom R&D, have investigated and experimented with different solutions for high-speed access networks on existing copper pairs. The first commercial product was ISDN and recently the deployment of ADSL. For these 2 networks, there was no need of active equipment along the path to the customer and consequently no special powering problem. In the future, still higher rate might be brought to the home. Because copper has limitations, optical Fibre will replace the copper transport and go further in the access network To The Curb (FTTC), To The Buildings (FTTB), To The Floor (FTTF), or To The Home (FTTH). The FTTx leads to the introduction of active equipment in the access network, like VDSL modulation proposed for downstream ranging from 8 to 20 Mbs and allowing several TV channels, video on demand, fast internet and videophone. In this case, Infrastructure, particularly powering, is a major topic. This paper considers traditional or exotic solution for powering of active equipment; it has not the intention to close the debate but to highlight the relevant points to consider, in order to limit the choice to a small panel of solutions that may be highly industrialized.