Ethernet in the other first mile: North American case studies for IEEE 802.3ah in applications beyond FTTH

The proliferation of FTTH is impacting the cost of components, driving the development of new standards, and influencing installation practices. Likewise, the ratification of IEEE 802.3ah and its adoption by carriers has engendered the creation of cost-effective, scalable, and highly manageable devices for the delivery of Ethernet over fiber. This paper establishes the context for IEEE 802.3ah by examining some large scale deployments in Japan's FTTH market, and then focuses on examining why similar technologies have been deployed in much smaller, non-carrier applications in North America.