Huawei Technologies
IP broadband access
network construction
DSLAM & MSAN
This story investigates new characteristics recently revealed by the broadband market,
and details the developing trend of the broadband access network construction in
the new scenario.
Characteristics of the broadband market
The current broadband market is very different from that of the
previous years in the following respects:
Large quantity of high bandwidth value-added
services have been developed, in particular the
Triple Play service based on IPTV, VoIP and data services
The ARPU of the narrowband voice services, which currently
remains the main revenue-generating service of the traditional fixed
network operators, is decreasing year by year. This decrease is
attributed to the impact of VoIP or from the mobile operators.
Therefore, the broadband service revenue is only generated from
Internet services. Also, the current broadband subscribers have more
demand for multimedia services such as audio and voice services
rather than purely essential Internet access services.
Broadband operators are sparing no effort to develop the Triple
Play services based on IPTV, VoIP and data services, to improve the
ARPU value and enhance the subscribers broadband experience.
Competitive operators are deploying the Triple Play services to attract
more broadband subscribers.
All these value-added services have specific requirements on
bandwidth and QoS.
Exit of aging narrowband telephone networks from
some operators
The operators’ narrowband telephone network equipment in
some developed countries are aging and demand large-scale network
reconstruction. Broad-band-based voice services are inevitable.
Narrowband telephone subscribers will progressively migrate into
the NGN based on Softswitch and IMS.
To reduce OPEX, operators hope to integrate
multi-networks into one, to realize the IP based ATM,
FR, TDM and X.25
Most fixed network operators operate many networks such as
By Cheng Rong
ATM, FR, DDN, X.25, broadband network and narrowband
telephone network simultaneously. The maintenance of these
networks costs an operator a large amount of manpower and
materials and keeps the OPEX value high. This maintenance is
especially obvious for an operator in a developed country, where
the labor costs high. So, to integrate multi-networks into one is the
inevitable choice for a fixed network operator.
Development trends of the broadband
access network
The construction of the broadband access network reveals the
following trends corresponding to various demands in the broadband
market:
Complete IP based access network
A complete IP based access network, which consists of three parts,
is a preferred solution to integrate multi-networks into one. The
three parts of an IP based access network are as follows:
• IP based structure: the devices (including the DSLAM/MSAN,
Ethernet switch and optical transmission) related to the access
network are all interconnected through the Ethernet interface.
• IP based services: services as audio services, voice services and
data services (including ATM, X.25, TDM, FR and VPN) are all
over IP messages and are transmitted in a unified manner.
• IP based protocols: all devices of the access network are inter-
worked based on the Ethernet and IP protocols.
Construction of the new technologies: ADSL2+,
VDSL2, WiMAX and EPON/GPON
ADSL2+ offers wider bandwidth and higher performance for copper
access, and ADSL2/2+ has been greatly improved in bandwidth and
transmission distance compared with ADSL. ADSL2+ is mainly
used in the following situations:
• Solving the problem of number allocation for a long distance line;
• Providing the symmetrical bandwidth private line(512kbit/s) for
small and medium commercial customers;
DEC 2005 ˙ ISSUE 20 50
 Solution
IP broadband access, DSLAM & MSAN
• Application of short distance and high downlink bandwidth
(ADSL2+ terminal: within 2 km, 15Mbit/s).
Compared with ADSL2+, VDSL2 can provide bi-directional and
symmetrical bandwidth over 50Mbit/s for short distance to satisfy
the demands of commercial customers on higher bandwidth.
For the traditional fixed network operators, the WiMAX is the
supplement to the copper access and can provide broadband access
for enterprises and families in remote areas. For the competitive
operators, the WiMAX can help them realize rapid deployment and
develop both enterprise and family subscribers. In addition, those
operating the WiFi hotspot services can use WiMAX as the back-
transfer of WiFi to expand the coverage of WiFi.
The FTTH is based on the EPON/GPON technology and will
lead the development of the broadband access network. Because
the FTTH is not yet mature, it is better to be applied to commercial
pilots in small scale (for example, the deployment of the FTTH in
some new green fields).
Selecting the access devices to support Triple Play
service
Triple Play service imposes high requirements on bandwidth and
QoS. When the broadband access network is deployed therefore,
the access devices to be chosen should support the Triple Play service
in the following respects:
• Ensure the public Internet service, VoIP services, audio services
and VPN services performs well in aspects such as backplane
capacity, slot bandwidth, switch capability, service engine,
forwarding performance and network interface.
• Support multi-PVC or multi-VLAN at a user port to bear different
services.
• Support classification of priorities for different service types and
forwarding at the uplink interface based on priority.
• Support the function of IGMP snooping or proxy, and rightly
control the multicast service.
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Meeting the requirements for migrating from
narrowband telephone and integrating multi-
networks into one through MSAN equipment
MSAN is the best choice for migrating from narrowband
telephones and for integrating multi-networks into one. The
integrated access device of the new generation is based on the pure
IP core and offers advantages such as bandwidth extension, support
for new service and function upgrading. It provides some built-in
functions such as the physical layer adapter, ONU, DSLAM and
AG.
It also can offer different physical interfaces, bandwidth, QoS
capability and various broadband access modes such as POTS,
ADSL, ADSL2/2+,SHDSL, VDSL/VDSL2, LAN,E1, IMA E1,
GPON/EPON and WiMAX. The uplink is connected to service
networks such as the traditional telecom network, Internet and NGN
through standard interfaces. The maturity of the integrated
broadband access platform facilitates the implementation of multi-
service access and integrated service mode and makes the complete
service possible. The integrated access platform will become the
important part of the broadband access network.
Application of MPLS and PWE3 technologies
Introduction of the MPLS technology to access network can solve
the problem of the insufficient VLAN resources (the MPLS label is
used to identify subscribers and services). The application of the
MPLS OAM technology enables the end-to-end fault protection to
meet the high reliability requirements of carrier-class services.
PWE3 is one of the key technologies used to integrate multi-
networks into one. The PWE3 technology can emulate the virtual
line on the MPLS edge equipment, put the TDM/ATM ser-
vices into the MPLS tunnel and transmit them over the MPLS
network.
Simplifying the network structure
The reduction in the network layers of an access network can
decrease the difficulty in bandwidth control and QoS deployment,
and reduce the OPEX value for an operator.
Access devices nearer to subscribers
In a situation that requires high speed access, ASDL2/2+ and VDSL/
VDSL2 technologies can reach higher bandwidth over a shorter
distance. Therefore the distance between access devices and
subscribers should be further shortened to realize the high bandwidth
access.
Conclusion
Broadband access network construction must satisfy the
developing requirements of the broadband market. Broadband access
network construction should not comply with the old thoughts or
views and should develop in the direction of IP access trends, access
mode diversification and access device simplification.