Optimizing multicast services in Flexible-Rate Passive Optical Networks

Flexible-rate passive optical networks (PON) allow optical network units (ONU) to be grouped according to their channel conditions, thereby enhancing the system throughput. In this paper, we show that in the case of multicast services, scheduling downstream with the peak-rate ONU grouping scheme might result in data redundancy, which would degrade effective throughput. The opportunities to enhance the effective throughput by optimizing the ONU grouping scheme are highlighted.

Keywords: Flexible-rate passive optical network, Multicast services, ONU grouping