The vision of optical networking: tales and realities of the OPEX/CAPEX analysis

The different flavors of today's and future multilayer transmission networks are analyzed highlighting the main infrastructure, capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) contributions to total cost of ownership (TCO). Depending on different carrier requirements, critical parameters and general design rules for optimum overall cost positions are discussed. To illustrate and evaluate the impact of given boundary conditions, some case studies will be presented where new technologies lead to significant OPEX/CAPEX savings.