ABSTRACT
Abstract This chapter looks at the genesis and evolution of the Digital Subscriber Line access multiplexer (DSLAM). The DSLAM was a breakthrough device in the success of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL). Its own architecture has changed in accordance with the evolution of the underlying DSL technology and also the change in the services offered over DSL, as applications migrated from pure Video-on-Demand (VOD) to high-speed internet access to integrated triple play services (voice, video, and data). This chapter examines the role the DSLAM plays as a network element, the critical functions it performs, and how it now delivers on the triple play vision.
