Performance evaluation of GPON vs EPON for multi-service access

Recently both ITU and IEEE have standardized solutions for passive optical networks (PONs) operating at gigabit per second line rates and optimized for the transport of packet-based traffic to improve the efficiency of previously standardized broadband PONs, which used the ATM cell as the data transport unit. The efficiency and performance of PON systems depend on the transmission convergence layer and mainly on the implemented medium access protocol. Although the latter is not part of the standards and left to the implementer, the standards describe a set of control fields that constitute the tool-set for the media access control (MAC) operation. Though starting from a common and quite obvious basis, the two standards present significant difference,, with the legacy of Ethernet marking the IEEE approach, while the emphasis of ITU is on demanding services. In this paper we compare the efficiency and performance of the two systems assuming the implementation of as close as possible MAC protocols. The target is twofold: assess and compare the traffic handling potential of each of the two standards and identify the range of applications they call support. Useful insight can also be gained to the MAC tools that Could be designed into the next generation extra large WDM PONs. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.