Case for Ethernet over Copper Not Following the HDSL Path

Implications: 1.      There are some inherent differences between Ethernet over Copper (EoC) and HDSL. 2.      The latter is much simpler. 3.      No supplier is expected to capture the entire EoCmarket.  

Analysis:  Adtran dominated the HDSL space in North America.  With EoC, dealing with all of the complexities of the technology itself, will probably not allow any one vendor to keep everybody else out.  

An HDSL could be put into anyone’s chassis.  In the front, one would get HDSL.   In the back, there would be a T1 or DS-x port.  With EoC, the supplier is not going to take a blade and just plop it into an Alcatel-Lucent 7300 or a Calix C7.   This is one of the ways vendors were able to be so successful.  It was very easy to develop a blade for the half dozen or so channel banks that were out in the market.  It is not so easy anymore.  There is now an aggregated GigE uplink that provides some significant challenges.