ANAGEMENT The access networks are often decisive for the overall service quality. Access is one of the most dynamic areas in telecommunications today, showing a strong growth, involving high levels of investments (often more than 50 % of the overall investment cost) and a myriad of promising technologies. Solutions for the 'last mile' to the subscriber have been a constant subject of debate in telecommunication forums for a long time. Figure 16.24 describes a very likely state in the network development, where the core backbone will have to interconnect with many different types of access networks. This is what 'Agnostic Access' means. Most likely no one type of access technology or media will clearly prevail, and many different types of access will be selected and coexist, at least in the short run. Hybrid systems will also appear, such as UMTS-WAN. Telecom management will have to manage a large number of different networks assuring seamless integration among all of them. They might be different access networks, existing legacy networks and the stratified core network. The proper and easy integration of the O&M activities on access, within the operator's telecom management, will then become a key element for assuring both business and operational success. 16.12 MANAGEMENT OF LAYERED AND SERIAL INTERWORKING The complexity of modern networks, handling many different technologies simultaneously with a considerable number of layers and a fast pace of technology development, creates Telecom Management - Operations Telecom management Agnostic access Cellular networks GSM and 3G etc IP Backbone PSTN GW VoDSLGw Gigabit ethernet Voice Data/MM DSLAM Ethernet modem Figure 16.24 Access network management overview difficulties in acquiring a proper telecom management understanding and management competence. The two considered cases are: single operator with many layers or many interconnected technologies, and interworking operators in layers or interconnected. The interfaces and protocols are far more complex in interworking