Towards an integrated optical and wireless access architecture

While fiber-optic technologies have been traditionally deployed in backbone networks, they are also finding niche applications in the access domain (e.g., in the form of Passive Optical Networks or PONs). Meanwhile, RF-based wireless technologies have already changed the way we communicate, and yet the demands for higher bandwidth, longer reach and better interoperability remain strong. In this talk, I will briefly outline a vision for an integrated optical and wireless access, with a focus on architectural issues. I will also discuss the cost benefit of such an integrated system based on a combination of PON and WiMAX, for example, as well as its flexibility in terms of resource allocation and load balancing among multiple ldquocellsrdquo.