Walker and Assciates Inc. - TelecomDistribution Done Right!

TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

There are two broad categories of FTTX architectures - Active Ethernet and PON.  In an Active Ethernet architecture, switches are arranged in a star configuration.  In a PON architecture, the services are delivered through a tree and branch configuration.  Active Ethernet star configurations provide dedicated fibers between the end points and the Ethernet switch point of presence.  These connections are usually 100 Mb/s or 1000 Mb/s.  PON configurations use passive optical splitters to distribute the optical signal to each customer using splitting ratios up to 1:32.

By using Passive Optical Network (PON) architecture in FTTX deployments, operating costs are lowered by reducing the number of active components in the network.  With PON architecture, all active components are placed at the ends of the fiber and passive optical splitters are placed in the field.  PON technology also employs bi-directional communications over a single fiber strand.  Fiber to the x (FTTX) is a generic term for any network architecture that uses optical fiber to replace all or part of the usual copper local loop used for telecommunications.

PRODUCT SOLUTIONS

APPLICATIONS

Fiber-to-the-node (FTTN)

Fiber is terminated in a street cabinet up to several kilometers away from the customer premises with the final connection being copper.

Fiber-to-the-cabinet or Fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC)

This is very similar to FTTN, but the street cabinet is closer to the user's premises typically within 300 m.

Fiber-to-the-building or Fiber-to-the-basement (FTTB)

Fiber reaches the boundary of the building, such as the basement in a multi-dwelling unit, with the final connection to the individual living space being made via alternative means.

Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH)

Fiber reaches the boundary of the living space, such as a box on the outside wall of a home.

Fiber-to-the premises (FTTP)

NETWORK DIAGRAMS