Broadband Last Mile : Access Technologies for Multimedia Communications

With so much attention focused on the backbone technologies associated with data networks, research often ignores the access section of end-to-end broadband networks.

Written by experts from academia as well as industry, this text works to ensure that this "last mile" is not a weak link in the broadband chain.

It first features a fundamental discussion of media compression and content distribution technologies, followed by in-depth, self-contained discussions of the physical media and arrangements involved in broadband networks, network management, applications, and broadband services.

This text provides critical information on physical pipelines and network architecture for both researchers and practitioners.