Telecommunication Access Network Design

Tamra Carpenter and Hanan Luss

A typical telecommunications network consists of a backbone network and multiple access networks. The investment in expanding and modernizing the access portion of the network is a significant part of the total. This chapter concentrates on describing representative models and solution approaches that are often found in access network design. Section 2 presents variations of concentrator location problems that play a major part in access network design. Section 3 focuses on current broadband access networks that deliver information at high speed, such as access networks that employ Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and cable TV technologies. Finally, section 4 describes the design of survivable access networks; in particular, access networks with dual homing and access networks that employ ring topologies.

Key Words: Access networks, network design, routing, facility location, concentrator location, broadband services, survivable networks