Next-generation broadband optical access network technologies [Guest editorial]

Broadband access networking is an important form of basic infrastructure that supports competitive social and economic development. Emerging broadband applications such as IPTV, real-time network gaming, backhauling of broadband wireless connection data etc., demand new technological innovations to meet their ever-increasing performance-to-cost requirements. Optical fiber has been established as a future-proof medium capable of facilitating the next-generation network applications. For instance, in Feb. 2010 Google just announced the plans to build an experimental gigabit-per-second fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network to households in North America for testing out new concepts in technologies and applications. Worldwide, FTTH deployment had surpassed thirty million users in 2009 and is still continuing to grow at a rapid pace.