Cost Optimized Layout of Fibre Optic Networks in the Access Net Domain

During the last two years European network-carriers have invested 7.5 bi1lions Euro in the expansion of the core and the distribution net domain (backbones, city backbones and metropolitan area networks). However, investigations have shown that about 95% of the total costs for the implementation may be expected for the area-wide realization of the last mile (access networks). In order to achieve a return on investment, carriers wi1l be forced to link access net nodes, like corporate clients, private customers or communication nodes for modern mobile services (e.g. UMTS) to their city backbones. We present the methodology behind the planning tool NETQUEST-OPT for the computation of cost optimized and real world laying for fiber optic access networks. Bases on detailed geoinformation data, cluster strategies, exact and approximation algorithms of graph theory, combinatorial optimization and ring closure heuristics form the optimization kernel. Beside the methodology, we present results of a benchmark project which was rocessed with one of our industrial partners.