The latter approach has already shown good results. Using DWDM, some 80 to 160 data streams can be sent along a single fiber. Cisco, Lucent, and Nortel stand as the biggest players in the market, but scores of startups and smaller companies have recently joined them. Most focus on connecting major business centers to the communications backbone. Large corporations can generate one terabyte of information each month, and service providers scramble to meet that demand.
Residential connections are a lower priority.
Nair sees the metro market getting integrated in the next couple of years, while widespread residential access, he says, may take five years. Laying fiber is an expensive endeavor, and wireless optical is affected by weather, including fog. But it won't be long before we see the last mile between home and network covered. For the latest technology news, visit ZDNet News . Find out how.