Abstract

Today a mature TDM based transport infrastructure is in place that supports all wireline services offered to customers by service providers. As businesses express interest in utilizing Ethernet to interconnect LANs and for connections to their ISP, the existing TDM based infrastructure must be extended to support the transport of Ethernet.

This article examines the need for a flexible Ethernet transport solution able to utilize the existing TDM infrastructure on copper and fiber facilities. The features required for the rapid and broad deployment of an Ethernet transport service are investigated. The underlying functions that are required to extend the current TDM based infrastructure for the transport of Ethernet are described.

© 2005 Optical Society of America