1.1 Introduction

Fixed access networks have always been a critical component of telecommunication networks. Essentially they provide the final connection through to the customer and at the same time they are usually the most expensive component in terms of capital investment and ongoing cost of maintenance and repair. Typically they may form some 70% of the total investment required. Competition in the access and local telecommunications market has become fierce in recent times, as major players seek to form new mergers and acquisitions, and cable TV companies and new entrants compete head-on with traditional Telcos (PTT). This competition is being fuelled by regulatory changes as markets become more liberalised, and indeed by new technology which increasingly threatens to make existing operators and their networks obsolete. Already there has been a massive investment into fixed access networks around the globe where some 700 million access lines have now been installed by far the majority using twisted copper pairs. Increasingly, new access technologies are being developed and deployed with a view to delivering new services and to reducing capital and operating costs. However, with such a large installed base of twisted pairs, a key focus of the new technologies has also been to enhance the capability of existing copper.

There are, therefore, a considerable number of technology options available to both existing and new operators, and the optimum choice will be dependent on a number of different factors. This chapter presents an overview of current...