Software-defined networks and network functions virtualization in wireline access networks

SDN and NFV are the two major concepts in the telecommunications space driving a radical industry transition towards future programmable carrier grade networks. Both technologies have received considerable attention over the last few years especially boosted by the foundation of the ETSI NFV Industry Specification Group and driven by nearly all major network operators. The application of SDN and NFV in telco networks promises a faster time to market for new services and, at the same time, a dramatic reduction of costs in both OPEX and CAPEX. Up to now the majority of efforts in that space have focused on core networks and less on wireline access networks. This paper addresses this topic by presenting the motivation and the primary use cases for applying SDN and NFV to wireline access networks as well as by analyzing the current related standards work. We conclude with an outlook on potential future work in this area, both in research and standards.