New Innovative Architectures Are Being Introduced By New Major Operators

Bethesda, Maryland: It is surprising to see how many different concepts and approaches are being utilized in attempting to provide solutions to the provision of IP services, ATM backbone, TDM private line facilities and POTS for different types of Service Providers. New architectures, according to the Dittberner report on "Next Generation Switching Systems For Public Networks", are being enabled through the introduction of dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) techniques on fiber optic networks. Dr. Lorenz Beug, Vice President of Research with Dittberner Associates, explained, "Many new operators and some major incumbent operators are moving in the direction of dedicating either a wavelength or an entire fiber to each of the several classes of traffic in which they are asked to carry, i.e., IP, ATM and TDM". He continued to express, "It's interesting that new DWDM technology makes it economically attractive to move further away from the broadband ISDN concept of a single-integrated network for all services, at least for the near term future. We find this an interesting, innovative and 'future proof' solution to near-term traffic mix uncertainties".

Optical Switching Will Reduce Packet Switched Traffic Handling

The Dittberner report continues to inform the telecom industry that "Reasonably large purely optical cross-connect systems are now being field trialed, and will be available within the next 6 - 9 months in sizeable quantities. This technology will permit wavelength-level switching between fibers, performing a limited but massive 'slow' routing capability, and will reduce the anticipated load on core ATM / MPLS electronic switches. As the industry begins to understand the architectural implications of such optical switching facilities, beyond normal protection switching, the traffic load on core packet switches of any protocol may be dramatically reduced from the anticipated extremely high capacities implied from extended Internet traffic growth curves", according to Donald Dittberner, President of Dittberner Associates, Inc.

Are Carriers' Carriers Becoming a Significant Factor in the Telecom Industry Structure?

Dr. Beug went on to say; "Firms selling primarily to other carriers provide the extremely rapid growth in deployment of fiber optic facilities, between continents and within continents, and in some cases, to major end-users of fiber optic capacity, typically offered between the OC-3 / STM-1 and the wavelength levels. This trend has made a major change both in the nature and economic benefits of global alliances and in the economics of bulk transmission capacity. These capabilities will soon further drive down the cost of international calling, and the cost of both domestic and international dedicated circuit facilities in the near-term future". Dittberner Associates, Inc., applauds this direction, which has been strongly supported by the venture capital industry, and by incumbent carriers, who have pre-paid in order to obtain "Indefeasible Rights of Use (IRU)" for such fiber optic capacity.

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Dittberner Associates, Inc.
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Dittberner Associates, Inc. is an international market research and consulting firm specializing in the analysis of advanced technologies for the global public telecommunications network. Through its multi-client study series, THE Dittberner PERSPECTIVE, and custom studies, the company provides guidance in many areas of the telecommunications industry including: technology assessment and forecasting, market requirements analysis and market forecasts for telecom equipment and services, public and private network planning, corporate and business planning, new venture / new business development, and tariff and regulatory policy formulation assistance. Fore more information, visit the company's website at www.dittberner.com

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