Using optical and wireless systems together is mutually beneficial and cost-effective. Other technological and operational advantages include FTTx support, different types of access options, possibility to switch from multiple access points to one edge node. Among other benefits, the one should mention reduced expenses in the edge nodes due to radio and optical functions. However biggest advantages are the high user penetration in both urban and rural areas, and centralized management system that allows to:

• enhance spectrum utilization;

• increase mutual protection;

• advance operational efficiencies;

• dynamically allocate resources between the system segments.

Technology can and will be enhance in protocol lagers. Physical layers integrated optical-wireless capacity can be advanced by the exploration of new transport and modulation technologies. This can be easily achieved since WOM-PON is independent from any data rate and data format.

MAC layer can be enhanced due to potential of control signal aggregation to reduce transmission overhead. Management layer can benefit from management of the integrated optical-wireless channel. If could require unified QoS definition for both wireless and optical systems. Other problems to consider are consistent queue management scheme at the subscriber side and unified admission control policy across optical wireless integration.

Many factors define how cost-effective is optical-wireless integration;

• fiber trench cost

• installation cost

• wireless tower and BS cost

• real estate cost of placing the equipment

• powering cost of the active components

• spectrum license cost