Optical versus electronic switching for broadband networks

The authors compare the use of electronic and optical switching for broadband networks. Their technological merits and their ability to meet traffic demand when multimedia communications become ubiquitous are considered. The authors conclude that electronic ATM switches are adequate and commercially mature for local access. An ATM-mesh switch with multihop routing can be used to achieve capacity of several hundreds of gigabits per second. Beyond access, the authors argue that traffic aggregation may allow switching to be performed on much longer time scales than that of ATM cells. Wavelength and mechanical fiber switching may be used economically for trunk switching, avoiding the expensive processes of optoelectronic conversions and demultiplexing.