Introduction
Originally, access to the public telecommunication networks over the local loop (subscriber line) was by analogue technology over twisted pair copper wires to support voice and low rate data (e.g. fax) and later ISDN which enabled improved data rates and other digital services. Thanks to technological developments, those twisted pairs are now being used to carry digital signals as in the variants of Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL).
Other technologies also offer the customer a telecommunications 'pipe' to and from the home. These include:
- Broadband multimedia service over CATV (Cable Access Television)
- Broadband over Power Line transmission (PLT)
- Broadband over coaxial cable and optical fibre
Our Role & Activities
TC ATTM and TC CABLE are responsible for fixed lines access at ETSI:
Technical committee for Access, Terminals, Transmission and Multiplexing (ATTM) is the home for access technologies such as narrow band (Integrated Services Digital Network, ISDN, and Public Switched Telephone Service, PSTN), broadband (Digital Subscriber Line, DSL) and fibre optics. More information can be found in the TC ATTM Activity Report.
Technical committee for Integrated Broadband Cable Telecommunication Networks (CABLE) produces standards for integrated broadband cable telecommunication network technologies. More information can be found in the TC CABLE Activity Report.
Standards
A full list of related standards in the public domain is accessible via the ETSI standards search.