VDSL is seen by many as the next step in providing a complete home-communications and entertainment package. For example, the broadband internet access VDSL affords will support high definition TV. Some companies currently offer VDSL service in selected areas. VDSL provides an incredible amount of bandwidth compared to a maximum speed of 8 to 10 Mbps for ADSL or cable modem and clearly the move from current broadband technology to VDSL could be as significant as the shift from a 56K modem to broadband.
Fiber Remotes
The key to VDSL availability is the deployment of fiber remotes to shorten loop length.
Telephone companies are replacing many of their main feeds with fiber-optic cable. In fact, many phone companies are planning Fiber to the Curb (FTTC), which means that they will replace all existing copper lines right up to the point where your phone line branches off at your house. At the least, most companies expect to implement Fiber to the Neighborhood (FTTN). Instead of installing fiber-optic cable along each street, FTTN has fiber going to the main junction box for a particular neighborhood. By placing a VDSL transceiver in your home and a VDSL gateway in the junction box, the distance limitation can be economically overcome.
VDSL Obstacles
As important as fiber remotes would be to VDSL availability, they aren’t the whole story. VDSL and any other ultra high bandwidth technologies need to co-exist with other communications media and applications. VDSL data traffic exists in very high frequency bands and any high speed technology has to contend with cross talk and interference.
Another factor is the bandwidth between the remote and carrier serving offices-the "uplink." If each user has 58Mbits/sec, there won't be very many users per fiber remote. This would make the cost per user unacceptably high. While costs could be reduced by assuming that users shared the uplink for non-voice traffic, bandwidth oversubscription would reduce the chance that VDSL loops could support video applications.
Finally, running a fiber connection to each remote is extremely expensive. The answer is a hierarchical network. The architecture that shows the greatest promise is Passive Optical Networking (PON). PON fiber networks don't require a device at each fiber junction. Instead, the fiber is installed like a tree with "branches" from the "trunk" and branches from other branches. A very large service area can be covered by a PON at a very low equipment cost. One of the most promising targets for this broadband delivery system is the huge number of multi-tenanted buildings with business and residential occupants in urban areas.
Because of its enormous capacity, many feel there may be no issue as important to broadband applications as the success of VDSL.
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