chapter 1

Introduction to Optical Networks

AS WE BEGIN THE NEW MILLENNIUM, we are seeing dramatic changes in the telecommunications industry that have far-reaching implications for our lifestyles. There are many drivers for these changes. First and foremost is the continuing, relentless need for more capacity in the network. This demand is fueled by many factors. The tremendous growth of the Internet and the World Wide Web, both in terms of number of users and the amount of time, and thus bandwidth taken by each user, is a major factor. Internet traffic has been growing rapidly for many years. Estimates of growth have varied considerably over the years, with some early growth estimates showing a doubling every four to six months. Despite the ...

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