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E-Guide

Choosing the right technology for


fiber to the home (FTTH)
deployments

With the amount of technical fiber to the home (FTTH) network


alternatives available, making the right technology choice for a new
project can be a daunting task. This E-Guide discusses the key
characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of these technologies.
Uncover best practices to determine which choice is the most cost-
effective match for your customer’s current and possible requirements
in the future.

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SearchTelecom.com E-Guide
Choosing the right technology for fiber to the home (FTTH) deployments

Choosing the right technology for fiber to the home


(FTTH) deployments
By David Hashman, president, Knowledge Works LLC

When considering a new fiber to the home (FTTH) project, people often ask which
technology they should use. My initial response is usually a technically savvy, "It depends."
A number of technical FTTH network alternatives are available, and they all have
advantages and disadvantages. The challenge is to select the technology that is the most
cost-effective match for the customer's current and possible requirements in the future.
The choices generally fall into two categories: passive or active.

Passive optical networks (PONs) have no powered components between the end subscriber
and the main distribution point such as a central office or headend.

The key characteristic of PONs is that their fiber networks utilize a point-to-multipoint
architecture that looks like a tree structure. Passive optical splitters are used to divide the
signal among multiple subscribers, typically 32 or 64. The fiber between the last splitter and
the end subscriber is dedicated to the subscriber, but all other fiber is shared.

The most common types of PONs are Gigabit PON (GPON) and Ethernet PON (EPON). The
current ITU-T G.984 GPON standard has an asymmetrical bandwidth capacity of 2.488 Gbps
downstream and 1.244 Gbps upstream. The IEEE 802.3 EPON standard has symmetrical
bandwidth capacity of 1 Gbps upstream and downstream. The standards for both PON
technologies, however, are now being updated to support 10 Gbps speeds.

Active optical networks (AONs), also called Active Ethernet or Active-E in the world of FTTH
networks, utilize traditional Ethernet technologies in a point-to-point star topology. One or
more fibers are dedicated to each end subscriber between the subscriber's premise and the
first tier of active Ethernet switching/routing equipment. This equipment may be distributed
and powered out in the field, or it may be colocated at the main distribution point. With
AONs, any standard Ethernet fiber optic transceiver may be used now for capacity up to 1
Gbps or even 10 Gbps and eventually up to 40 Gbps and beyond.

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Choosing the right technology for fiber to the home (FTTH) deployments

Fiber to the home deployment technology and cost considerations

If cost is a primary consideration for a new FTTH network project, PONs should be carefully
considered. Historically, PONs have been more prevalent in the U.S., while AONs have been
more popular in Europe and Asia.

Because PONs usually require less fiber than AONs, and the average distance between
subscribers in the U.S. is larger, PONs are the more cost-effective choice for financing FTTH
deployments. PONs tend to be the least expensive option overall, no matter what the
location, especially for larger carriers serving primarily residential markets that have
reasonable take rates.

GPON may be the only viable choice if the FTTH project will be deploying analog/digital RF
cable TV or traditional voice services (POTS). GPON is the only cost-effective option that
allows these services to be distributed over the same fiber as Internet data to the end
subscriber. EPONs and AONs can support IP-based services.

If the FTTH project will be utilizing IP services such as IPTV and voice over IP (VoIP) along
with standard Internet data services, then either PON or AON technologies can be used
effectively. Other factors would need to be considered in order to make the best choice.
AONs, for example, are gaining in popularity in the U.S. because they can provide increased
service flexibility, including better support for media-rich applications requiring high-volume
symmetrical bandwidth. Despite their higher relative costs, AONs can be an excellent option
for smaller independent operators that are deploying an all-IP suite of services for voice,
data and video, and targeting a mix of customers that may include commercial buildings,
academic/government campuses, residential multi-dwelling units (MDUs) and higher-density
single-family developments.

Future-proofing fiber to the home deployments

Operations and maintenance lifecycle costs also should be considered in any FTTH
technology decision, along with the expected costs for upgrading to newer technologies like
10 Gbps. The majority of the costs in an FTTH deployment are associated with the outside

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Choosing the right technology for fiber to the home (FTTH) deployments

plant (material costs for conduit and fiber and installation costs). With a life-expectancy of
25 to 40 years or more, it is important to protect this investment and future-proof it as
much as possible.

One future-proofing technique is to build the fiber infrastructure in such a way that it is
technology-agnostic as future needs and technical capabilities change. Some projects are
being designed to better future-proof their fiber infrastructure by implementing a point-to-
point star topology even for PON deployments (by moving the splitters back to the main
distribution point). This design enables the fiber infrastructure to be technology agnostic as
future needs and technical capabilities change, and even provides the ability to switch from
a PON to an AON implementation or vice versa just by changing out the optical/electronic
equipment and leaving the fiber untouched.

Another future-proofing technique is to increase the likelihood that the fiber infrastructure
itself can support higher data rates in the future by designing and installing it with the
lowest practical optical loss. To achieve this goal, techniques such as fusion splicing can be
employed along with such materials as low-loss connectors and bend-insensitive fiber.
Making the right technology choice for a new FTTH network project can be a daunting task,
but with careful consideration and a clear objective, you can make a good decision. The
good news is that there are really no bad choices. All of the choices are proven technologies
that can support a wide array of services. It is just a matter of choosing the solution that
best meets the needs of the project.

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Choosing the right technology for fiber to the home (FTTH) deployments

About ECI Telecom


Beyond the traditional role of a telecom vendor, ECI Telecom has become the partner for
growth to our customers worldwide. Through our networking infrastructure solutions, we
focus on addressing the challenges and needs affecting providers today and in the future.
ECI's platforms enable key revenue-generating applications, such as business services,
voice, video and wireless backhaul. Our service expertise facilitates service deployment,
maintenance and on-going operations, while optimizing capex and reducing opex. We are
our customers' Partner for Growth.

What sets ECI apart from the rest of the market is ECI's 1Net, our customers' Path for
Growth. 1Net defines our total focus on optimal transition to next-generation networks,
through the unique combination of innovative and multi-functional networking equipment,
fully-integrated solutions and all-around services.

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