An Algorithm for Capacity Expansion of Local Access Networks

Growing demand, innovations in telecommunication technologies, and the expansion and diversification of services offered have created a variety of design and expansion problems in telecommunication networks. This paper looks at one of these problems, the Local Access Network Expansion Problem (LANEP), in which existing cables and concentrators must be installed or upgraded to handle growing demand. The general problem can be modelled as an integer linear program, but this is known to be NP-hard and thus typical network sizes preclude the use of such methods. Various other solution methodologies and algorithms have been proposed, including a dynamic programming algorithm which is solvable in pseudo-polynomial time. This paper presents an extension to this algorithm which allows two of the major LANEP assumptions (contiguity and non-bifurcation) to be easily switched on or off. Translating this general LANEP algorithm into a real world application does create practical problems which prevents it from being implemented as is. These problems are discussed and current solutions under investigation are presented.