Passive optical (access) networks (PONs)

Passive optical (access) networks (PONs) enable bidirectional communication between a server and a set of customers. The main challenge in these networks is to design such a system based on WDM technology, in which the equipment at the customers' side is as cheap, simple, and durable as possible, but above all, identical for all customers (or else it will create impossible management overheads, since it will be necessary to ensure that no two customers have identical wavelength-specific devices). This topic and SuperPON architectures and more detailed concept will be treated separately.