Abstract

Ethernet has become a prominent business opportunity for network service providers. During recent years telecommunications service providers as well as multi-service operators (MSO) have begun the migration towards Ethernet, replacing legacy transport and TDM customer interfaces. Either as a point to point or multi-point service, Ethernet offers the perfect vehicle for IP-based content distribution, enabling services such as Voice over IP (VoIP), IP Television (IPTV) and Video on Demand (VOD). These services, at times offered as a bundled Triple Play service, require an infrastructure which is not only efficient to transport packet services, but also offers the levels of availability normally associated with traditional TDM transport networks.

© 2006 Optical Society of America