Towards broadband global optical and wireless networking

This paper presents a novel, non-conventional approach to the future optical and wireless hybrid transport network, capable of supporting dominant kinds of trac, i.e., voice/real time, wireless and packet data tracffic in a single transport network. The proposed model combines different technologies as connection and connectionless networks, optical cable and wireless (microwave/millimetre wave or optical wireless), being suitable for a variety of purposes and services in order to achieve global broadband networking features. Our new networking model contains an extension to wireless world in order to achieve mobility and personalisation of connection. From the networking point of view it consists of an upgrade of real-time traffic with the microwave modulated optical wave, in order to carry out conventional mobile wireless signals via optical fibres over long distances and without significant distortion. The whole available bandwidth can be fully exploited in the hybrid network. In the IP part of the network the quality of service (QoS) can be differentiated for various classes of packets and network reliability/survivability can be categorised for the whole hybrid network. This proposal combines complete and revolutionary shift to packet traffic with smooth evolutionary upgrades. We believe the model presented here is a powerful tool to trace the future evolution of telecommunications worldwide for the next 25 years.