Research towards optical networks in the IST workprogramme

This paper discusses the importance of optical networks in the future European broadband communications infrastructure. Challenges for future research areas are highlighted and the contribution of the work of research projects of the European Union's Information Society Technologies (IST) Programme in these areas is presented. Growth is in data traffic generated by Internet-related traffic, using IP protocols, particularly Web-browsing. Traditional voice traffic is still growing, but more slowly (<10% per year). Voice traffic from mobile handsets is growing faster (>25% per year) but is, and will remain, only a small percentage (<10%) of total traffic. To cope with this unprecedented global traffic growth, network operators have been rushing to upgrade network capacity, initially in the core/backbone networks, and now also in the metropolitan area networks. Projects exploiting optical technology can be found in many areas of the IST Workprogramme, and their work includes topics as diverse as integration of IP and DWDM technology, management of terabit core networks, integration of mobile base stations and cable TV with optical fibre in access networks, new types of optical components, quantum cryptography and interconnection of research networks via gigabit links.