Advances in Telecom Backhaul Networks

Telecommunications is growing at a rapid pace today. The last decade has seen us move from landline phones and dial-up internet into an era of smart phones, high speed data connections, streaming video, online gaming and cloud computing. 

Each of these applications and services comes with its own set of requirements and challenges for telecom service providers. Telecom Backhaul, a critical segment of a telecom operator's network, is witnessing significant evolution that leverages advances in fiber optic and microwave technologies. These advances solve practical problems in the network ranging from bandwidth crunch, supporting thousands of diverse services and solving associated economic challenges by lowering the required capital investments and day-to-day operational costs of the network. 

I will start by discussing recent trends in mobile (3G/4G) and wireline broadband. I will then explain how technologies like Packet Transport, OTN, Converged Packet Optical Radios and DWDM empower telecom service providers to effectively meet the communication needs of the next decade. 



About Dr. Kumar N. Sivarajan:


Kumar N. Sivarajan co-founded Tejas Networks in 2000 where he serves as Chief Technology Officer. From 1994-2000 Sivarajan served on the faculty of the ECE Department, at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. From 1990-1994, he was with the IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York. 
Sivarajan is co-author of the textbook `Optical Networks: A Practical Perspective' first published in February 1998. He is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering and a recipient of the Swarnajayanti Fellowship from the Government of India. He also received the IEEE Fortescue Fellowship and the IEEE Bennett and Baker Prize Paper Awards. 
Sivarajan obtained the Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT, Madras, in 1987, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology, in 1988 and 1990, respectively.