A team of researchers from the UCL Optical Networks Group have proposed a low cost solution to the problem of providing high-speed broadband to users in their homes. The problem lies in replacing the outdated copper cables which make up the ‘last mile’ connection between the cabinets, where high-speed fibre-optic cables terminate, and people’s homes. The UCL team have designed a simplified optical receiver to replace these cables, and it contains 75-80% fewer components than most receivers, meaning that it could be cheaply manufactured while offering speeds of up to 10Gb/s.
