Energy Efficient PON Traffic Coordination

Broadband access networks deliver massive capacity to subscribers. Nonetheless, as deployments expand, their contribution to global energy consumption and carbon emissions also increase. Although Passive Optical Networks (PONs) are the most energy efficient access technology, there is still a need to become more environmental friendly. In this study, we propose a novel resource allocation mechanism for PONs that leverages the cyclic sleep capabilities of the Optical Line Terminal (OLT) and Optical Network Units (ONUs) to save energy on both sides. The proposed mechanism adapts to traffic load and latency constraints to preserve the data rate and QoS. The simulation results exhibit that significant energy savings can be achieved at low to medium traffic loads, while ensuring acceptable latency.