The Heathrow broadband access system

The digital switched video fiber access system deployed at Heathrow, Florida, is described. The system principles and architecture, system design, and overall system performance are presented along with field results and experiences. The Heathrow broadband system has shown the technical feasibility of delivering very-high-quality video to residential customers via an all-digital switched design; it also has shown the dramatic quality improvement such an approach can offer when compared to analog/RF delivery via conventional cable systems. Further evolution of the base technology and the system topology for digital centrally switched systems will lead to a highly capable system, able to provide a common access vehicle for all service classes previously envisioned with a very high guaranteed delivery quality. With volume deployment such a system is projected to be economical, but this depends on the evolution of technology, especially in the area of low-cost optoelectronics