Wavelength multiplexing in the local loop

Single mode optical fibre will be installed within the local loop to reduce network operating costs for the provision of basic telephone services. The resulting passive optical network can then be used to support future demand for high rate services via the use of optical multichannel techniques. The authors briefly consider one way of providing telephony services and then describe some of the ways in which services can evolve via the addition of a 1550 nm broadband overlay. The concept of multichannel communication via high density wavelength division multiplexing (HDWDM) and some of the possible components are also described