Access Networks provide the backbone to the Internet connecting the end-users to

the core network thus forming the most important segment for connectivity. Access

Networks have multiple physical layer medium ranging from fiber cables, to DSL links

and Wireless nodes, creating practically-used hybrid access networks. We explore the

hybrid access network at the Medium ACcess (MAC) Layer which receives packets

segregated as data and control packets, thus providing the needed decoupling of data

and control plane. We utilize the Software Defined Networking (SDN) principle of

centralized processing with segregated data and control plane to further extend the

usability of our algorithms. This dissertation introduces novel techniques in Dynamic

Bandwidth allocation, control message scheduling policy, flow control techniques and

Grouping techniques to provide improved performance in Hybrid Passive Optical Networks (PON) such as PON-xDSL, FiWi etc. Finally, we study the different types of

software defined algorithms in access networks and describe the various open challenges and research directions.