Networking firm Quantum Bridge Communications has claimed that its fibre optic technology is a better choice than digital subscriber line (DSL) when it comes to solving the problem of bandwidth bottlenecks in the local loop.

Quantum says that its passive optical networking (PON) system, which has already been implemented in the US, beats DSL because it can be deployed more quickly and has no distance constraints.

The company points out that 80 per cent of business premises are within one mile of a fibre backbone which could be extended. "This isn't technology for technology's sake. It addresses a serious business issue of how to unlock bandwidth," said Guy Powell, the company's vice president for Europe, Middle East & Africa.

The main component of the optical access architecture is an IP/ATM optical access switch managed centrally by the service provider.

It uses a dynamic wave switching protocol which allows wavelengths to be sliced up. One switch can thus serve up to 800 customer sites, each of which is then equipped with an intelligent optical terminal delivering broadband services to the user.

Quantum claims that the systems can be deployed anywhere, and are interoperable with existing network infrastructure such as PBXs, IADs, switches and routers.

Worldwide revenues from next-generation services will increase from $74m to $40bn by 2004, according to analyst Ovum. Quantum wants a slice of this with a service that allows businesses to increase bandwidth on demand. PON users could request more bandwidth without having to lay more fibre each time.

"They can all see the bandwidth and take what they want," said Quantum founder and chief marketing officer, Jeff Gwynne.

First published in Computing