The cable comms perspective on the access network. Hybrid access systems

The cable comm perspective on access systems could be seen as a different one from a PTO's view. Historically, the PTO view split the network into two parts for the local network, switch and outside plant. This lead to a different view from the operating side on the two parts. Cable comm companies, especially in the UK, where the industry is relatively new, have not been constrained by historical growth, but have been able to view the network as an entity, from headend to customer's premises. This changes the view of the "network" from a series of parts to a single unit. Broadband cable in the UK began 10 years ago (there were some earlier narrow band systems), and the early designs and architectures mirrored those in the US with coaxial trunk cables feeding large geographical areas. This architecture had very little structure, and a migration path was not a high consideration. There needed to be something to drive a change in the cable comm approach to their strategy and migration. This came in two parts, one was new technology and the second was the new perceived services which were on the horizon.