Integrated Wireless-pon access Network Architectures Milos Milosavljevic

1.1 Network Convergence
This research programme has been widely driven by the deployment and development of PON 
[1] and WiMAX [2] access technologies aiming to provide transparent integrated network 
solution while in particular in the latter case transforming into emerging radio standards, such as 
long term evaluation (LTE) [3]. To a broader extent, next-generation access networks should 

---

Chapter 1 
Introduction – PON and WiMAX Technologies 
2 
demonstrate consolidation between different service platforms, mainly optical, wireless and 
copper access, a model of which is shown in Figure 1-1 [4].
Figure 1-1: A model of next-generation access networks [4] 
These networks are unavoidably expected to steer the attention of telecomm operators, 
providers, vendors and the research community towards state-of-the-art integrated architectural 
platforms for medium as well as longer term solutions. The former has been naturally generated 
by the deployment issues risen in the request of accommodating varying network penetration 
and servicing in the presence of diverse geographical areas while the later driven primarily by 
researchers and standardisation bodies aiming to provide the next generation converged 
networks that would lead the way of development from a high-cost and fixed fibre to the home 
(FTTH)-based networks to cost-effective integrated solutions with enhanced spectral efficiency 
and resilience, more supported users and most importantly ubiquity and mobility.
In both scenarios characteristics such as optical network transparency to various radio signal 
formats, scalability, dynamicity and small radio cells are essential ingredients to provide end-
users with real-time bandwidth on demand and interactive, multimedia services. From the 

---