Introduction to Special Issue on Second Fiber Optics in Access Networks (FOAN), Held in Budapest, October 2011
The reduction of cost of fiber-optic technologies makes this medium more attractive for resolving transmission issues in the access part of telecommunication networks. Fiber-optic technologies are needed in this part of the telecommunications network, because services that are delivered to end-users demand more and more bandwidth. Thus, there are currently two scenarios for the introduction of fiber-optic technologies to the access network: step by step, where the proportion of optical cables in relation to metal cables is increasing as time passes, and directly, where the optical fiber is taken directly to the user’s premises (for example, in fiber-to-the-premises [FTTP] networks). It might seem that the end-user’s needs could be satisfied by simple technological upgrading. However, the number and types of services that are transmitted per access line can be wide ranging. The mutual interaction between these services may derogate the quality of one or more services. Therefore, it is necessary in the access networks, in addition to providing sufficient bandwidth, to provide mechanisms to protect the quality of service (QoS). For this purpose, the second International Workshop on Fiber Optics in Access Network ( FOAN ) was held in October 2011. In addition to standard topics on the optical physical layer, the focus of FOAN 2011 was on QoS in the access networks. Like in 2010, the workshop was held within the International Congress of the Ultra Modern Telecommunications and Control Systems ( ICUMT ). ICUMT 2011 was held in