All-optical transport layer and GPON access for immersive communications

Immersive communications, such as high quality 3D videoconference, are the best example of what Next Generation Networks are capable in the short term. This work is being carried out within the VISION project framework, supported by the Spanish Commitee for Industrial and Technology Development and with the main objective of developing such videoconference system. The presented system provides optical transport, switching capability and enough flexibility to allocate a QoS stage between access and core network segments. The architectural model relies on the optical circuit switching (OCS) paradigm in a first approach and it is ready to support burst switching communications, optimizing even more the network resources. We present the overall architecture of such network, the building blocks of a node, the control plane based on the DRAGON open-source suite and how interfacing with higher control layers is solved. Finally, the evolution from OCS to OBS and the enabling technologies which make it possible are discussed.