Access network

An access network is a section of telecommunications or internet network which connects users or devices to their immediate service provider. When referring specifically to Internet Service Provider (ISP) or other service provider infrastructure, they are commonly referred to as "last mile" networks that connect ISP distribution infrastructure to end users, such as a consumer, business, or organization. Access networks contrast with regional networks, which connect access/local networks to each other and/or to core or backbone networks, which connect major network regions and facilitate high-bandwidth traffic between hubs in an organization, larger network, or the internet. In some parlances, the access network may be further divided between feeder lines/distribution networks and service drops/edge networks. Edge networks connect end users to centralized aggregation points, while distribution networks take these aggregated signals/infrastructure to central offices, exchanges, or switching equipment. An example of this exists in passive optical networking, where fiber internet is delivered to many homes or businesses by splitting a single fiber connection into multiple daughter connections using passive splitting and signal amplification.…

An access network is a section of telecommunications or internet network which connects users or devices to their immediate service provider. When referring specifically to Internet Service Provider (ISP) or other service provider infrastructure, they are commonly referred to as "last mile" networks that connect ISP distribution infrastructure to end users, such as a consumer, business, or organization. Access networks contrast with regional networks, which connect access/local networks to each other and/or to core or backbone networks, which connect major network regions and facilitate high-bandwidth traffic between hubs in an organization, larger network, or the internet. In some parlances, the access network may be further divided between feeder lines/distribution networks and service drops/edge networks. Edge networks connect end users to centralized aggregation points, while distribution networks take these aggregated signals/infrastructure to central offices, exchanges, or switching equipment. An example of this exists in passive optical networking, where fiber internet is delivered to many homes or businesses by splitting a single fiber connection into multiple daughter connections using passive splitting and signal amplification. Bandwidth to each end user is managed by means such as time-division multiplexing and time-division multiple access for downstream and upstream connections, respectively. In this way, connections to multiple endpoints are aggregated together, and may join some or many other aggregated links destined for ISP infrastructure. Access networks can also define networking infrastructure within local networks designed to connect devices to more centralized routing infrastructure, such as networks of wired connections or wireless access points providing network connectivity (e.g., wired ethernet or Wi-Fi) to devices. ==History== ==Access process== The process of communicating with a network begins with an access attempt, in which one or more users interact with a communications system to enable initiation of user information transfer. An access attempt itself begins with issuance of an access request by an access originator. An access attempt ends either in successful access or in access failure - an unsuccessful access that results in termination of the attempt in any manner other than initiation of user information transfer between the intended source and destination (sink) within the specified maximum access time. Access time is the time delay or latency between a requested access attempt and successful access being completed. In a telecommunications system, access time values are measured only on access attempts that result in successful access. Access failure can be the result of access outage, user blocking, incorrect access, or access denial. Access denial (system blocking) can include: Access failure caused by the issuing of a system blocking signal by a communications system that does not have a camp-on busy signal feature. Access failure caused by exceeding the maximum access time and nominal system access time fraction during an access attempt. ==Charging for access== An access charge is a charge made by a local exchange carrier for use of its local exchange facilities for a purpose such as the origination or termination of network traffic that is carried to or from a distant exchange by an interexchange carrier. Although some access charges are billed directly to interexchange carriers, a significant percentage of all access charges are paid by the local end users. ==Mobile access networks== GERAN UTRAN E-UTRAN CDMA2000 GSM UMTS 1xEVDO voLTE Wi-Fi in* WiMAX ==See also== Edge device Hierarchical internetworking model Internet access IP connectivity access network Local loop Passive Optical Network ==References== ==External links== Interactive presentation introducing the technology and design of access networks

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