Development of 10 Gb/s EPON in IEEE 802.3av

The interest in the evolution of current PON systems toward high-data-rate systems capable of providing a future-proof platform for delivery of truly subscriber-oriented and personalized triple-play services resulted in the recent kickoff of the 10 Gb/s Ethernet PON system standardization effort in the IEEE . Ethernet PON has become a network of choice for low-cost subscriber-oriented digital service delivery, taking over the market previously dominated by DSL and cable modems. In this article we examine the current development process of 10 Gb/s EPON systems in more detail, standardized in the framework of the IEEE 802.3av task force, looking at the technical challenges, drivers, and possible evolution scenarios of the emerging high-data-rate access systems..