Multimedia communication and its impact on photonic networking

Abstract

The optical path concept was proposed to resolve problems in transport node technologies such as ATM switching. It offers quantum leaps in both transmission capacity and cross-connect throughput simultaneously by exploiting WDM transmission and the wavelength routing capabilities of paths. The transmission capacity expansion due to WDM and the commensurate increase in cross-connect throughput possible with wavelength routing enable flexible and cost-effective broadband networking.