Enabling technologies for broadband communications

Summary form only given. This paper characterizes the gigabit last mile race as driven by the infinite bandwidth fiber core network. As cable and telco service providers square off for the media convergence battle for market share, backbone capacity is growing to serve their perceived markets at rates (Metcalf´s law) far exceeding what is supportable by traditional consumer technologies (Moore´s law). We examine the strengths and weaknesses of each gigabit last mile solution and the enabling technologies that will change the equation, such as millimeter wave MMIC, free space optical components, edge routers and photonics components. This is intended to be a tutorial introduction to the opportunities ahead for microwave and antenna technologies.