10G EPON Development Process

The recent kick-off of the 10G EPON system standardization effort in the IEEE [1] resulted in a lot of interest in the evolution of current PON systems towards high data rate systems capable of providing a future-proof platform for delivery of truly subscriber oriented and personalized triple-play services. The Ethernet in the First Mile (EFM) Task Force was disbanded in June 2004, having completed its task of developing and having ratified the IEEE 802.3ah specifications, now merged in the IEEE 802.3-2005 document. The following 2 years saw unprecedented field deployment of EPON systems [2-6], resulting in the currently installed port capacity, estimated at approximately 6 million deployed lines and 15 million ports installed in the Central Office (CO) of Service Providers (SPs) (port numbers valid for March 2007) [1]. Ethernet PON has therefore become a network of a choice for low cost, subscriber oriented digital service delivery, taking over the market previously dominated by DSL and cable modems. In this paper, we will therefore examine in more detail the current development process of 10 Gbit/s EPON systems, standardized in the framework of the IEEE 802.3av Task Force, looking at the technical challenges, drivers and evolution scenarios of the emerging high data rate access systems. Additionally, a brief comparison between EPON and GPON systems is presented, outlining the differences and similarities between these two PON technologies.