First Mile Access Networks and Enabling Technologies

DSL in the First Mile

DSL has passed the curve of initial market penetration and is now a viable and available option for most consumers. DSL networking equipment is now available at stores, and connecting to DSL services is no longer considered a high-tech need but is more a necessity (even for home use). DSL, because it can use the existing network infrastructure, offers a low-cost solution and, perhaps more importantly, is publicly well accepted despite its management shortcomings. From the first mile network perspective, DSL can be viewed in two ways: a technological solution, and a viable business proposition for first mile networks.

From a technological perspective, DSL is a TDM solution based essentially on ATM technology. This makes it ...