From fiber to the home to full broadband ISDN

The author presents an evolutionary path for the broadband integrated service digital network (B-ISDN), starting with the installation of fibers to the home. Basing the target B-ISDN network on asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technology (which is quite different from current circuit switching used by telephone networks) is being considered. The author suggests a four-phase evolution. Fiber to the home is the key to generating the evolution momentum toward B-ISDN. The second phase is to provide TDM (time-division multiplexing) or STM (synchronous transfer mode) access to the home, so that initial broadband services can be provided in a timely manner by existing network elements. The third phase provides ATM access to the home and uses interworking units to interface STM-based terminals. The last phase has the full ATM-based access where every terminal is ATM-based