Wired for Speed: GPON or FTTH?

 


Ok let’s clarify a few things first – GPON stands for Gigabit Passive Optical Network, and FTTH stands for Fibre to the Home. There is also the term FTTP, Fibre to the Premises to consider, as its a term more popular in the UK, but it basically means the same thing as FTTH and those terms can be used interchangeably.  So, are GPON and FTTH or FTTP the same thing? Nope…not exactly. You can think of GPON being a specific type of technology that is used in implementing FTTH.

 

Sounds a bit complicated… but stay with me on this.

 So FTTH (and again, FTTP) are the terms used to describe not only the connection of those super-fast fibre otpic cables directly to the home (or any premises really) for the provision of fast and reliable internet access – but also (as we have seen in a previous post) the fibre cabling infrastructure in the premises (building) for the delivery of those services to the various apartments, retail outlets, offices etc within that building or campus environment.  GPON on the other hand is a ‘technology enabler’ as it were, as it allows for the transmission of these data services over those fibre cables.

Hopefully that provides a base for the rest of the differences and we’re about to get into..

So we’ve established that GPON and FTTH are not the same – but related technologies within fibre-optic networks. GPON is specific type of technology used in FTTH (FTTP) deployments. GPON permits the high-speed transmission of data over fibre optic cabling, while FTTH refers to the actual connection of those fibre cables to homes and buildings, as well as within them. So GPON can be thought of as a component of FTTH, allowing all manner of data services to utilise that fibre infrastructure.

 

So What is GPON?

Gigabit Passive Optical Network is a technology that is used for delivering broadband connections over fibre-optic cables to end-users, both to the premises and in the premises itself. GPON allows for a single optic fibre cable to be shared by many users, as it uses different wavelengths to receive and transmit data – so different wavelengths for different services. It makes use of passive optical splitters, which allow for the division of these signals from the central distribution point (typically using an OLT – Optical Line Terminal device) to the individual subscribers (using ONTs – Optical Network Terminal) The beauty of this is that it uses mainly passive (not powered) devices, simplifying the whole distribution infrastructure.

 

Any GPON connection is symmetrical, which means for a user, any upload speeds and download speeds are the same. These are high-speed connections, anything ranging from 2.5Gbps to 10Gbps (XPON) allowing for the uninterrupted services such as online gaming, video streaming, and similar high-bandwidth requirements. It is a technology that is implemented widely by Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) to deliver these services seamlessly to commercial as well as residential customers.

 

The GPON Advantage:

 

1.      Lower Cost: GPON uses passive devices and components such as optical splitters which means quicker deployments requiring less resources (configuring of active devices) to deploy

2.      High-Speed Connectivity: GPON offers gigabit level speeds providing for fast and reliable data services

3.      Scalable: GPON support seamless transition and addition of new subscribers, requiring little change to the existing infrastructure

 

The GPON vs FTTH Question

 

While GPON is regarded as a type of fibre-optic network, FTTH (or FTTP) lends itself to a larger concept that may include a number of technologies in order to deliver fibre optic connectivity to and within residential or commercial buildings. FTTH can consist of GPON and other different technologies such as Active Ethernet.

 

In a sentence, GPON can be described as a specific implantation of FTTH. The main difference between them is in the architecture and infrastructure. GPON utilises the concept of passive devices such as optical splitters to distribute the signal to different users, while FTTH can use both active and passive devices to bring fibre to user’s premises, apartments, retail spaces or offices.

 

Ultimately, they both need each other to provide an optimal solution. It’s not really the case of one or the other – they both are required in order to provide the next generation of fast, reliable data network services.

 

 

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