(Telecompaper) Although FTTH is seen as the most future-proof fixed access technology, DSL and Docsis will be able to fulfill expected consumer bandwidth demand for the next 3-5 years for selected market segments, according to a new study by Telecompaper and its partner XS Insight. The report 'Need for Speed: how to keep up with consumer bandwidth requirements' investigates the possibilities of new access technologies to fulfill future consumer demand until 2016. This includes forecasts for ten different market segments based on household composition and digital literacy levels. The research found that the required bandwidth (at actual speeds) varies from 20/1 Mbps for a basic one person household to 70/4 Mbps for a high-end, five-person household through 2016. By mapping the profiles based on speeds levels, the study judged the ability of DSL, HFC, PON and P2P FTTH networks to fulfill these demands, including future technology upgrades. The study found that all aforementioned access technologies can meet the demand, although Docsis and DSL are limited to selected segments. Operators will need to decide which solution is best based on their customers and resources.