Consumer communications in the next generation access network

The next generation fiber network will transport an unprecedented aggregate bandwidth of several terabits/s per fiber. Currently, only 5-10% of fiber in the network is lit, due to traffic bottlenecks at the access or edge of the network and due to slow deployment of traffic-aggressive consumer communications appliances. However, new consumer applications are emerging that will potentially add to the traffic landscape of the network. We examine emerging consumer technologies, the next generation access network, and the impact of these applications on the overall network.