Broadband Convergence of High
Performance Access/Core Networks
(GK Chang, Benny Bing, Jim Xu)
We will investigate Next Generation networks that offer telecommunications, broadcasting, and Internet access from a wide variety of devices. Technology convergence will take place at many levels: convergence of packet and circuit-switched networks, convergence of wired and wireless networks, convergence of heterogeneous wireless networks, and convergence of telecommunications and video broadcasting. As a central aspect of this convergence, we will be moving towards an IP-based and Ethernet infrastructure that supports high quality quadruple services. The Broadband Convergence program will investigate three main areas of high-performance networks: (1) High-speed Optical Core Networks (robust modulation formats and spectrally efficient transmission and switching systems for 40 Gb/s and beyond); (2) Wideband Wireless/Wireline Convergence (seamless integration of broadband wireless with WDM optical access networks using radio over fiber technologies); and, (3) End-to-end Pervasive Broadband Access Networks (intelligent resource and connection management, end-to-end security and service level agreements, and multilayer traffic engineering).