A Three-Minute Guide to Five FTTx Application Scenarios

What Does Fiber To The X Mean?

Today, the internet is as integral to our lives as water and electricity, but how much do you know about its deployment? In access networks, FTTx(fiber to the x) is increasingly used due to its flexibility, ease of installation and maintenance. FTTx stands for "Fiber to the X," where "X" signifies the endpoint of the fiber-optic line. It is a broad term encompassing various types of fiber optic communication networks, each defined by where the fiber terminates.

Based on the ONU deployment location, FTTX can be categorized into various application scenarios, including FTTB (Fiber to the Building), FTTC (Fiber to the Curb), FTTO (Fiber to the Office), FTTH (Fiber to the Home), and FTTR (Fiber to the Room). With so many options, which is right for you? We will introduce each one to help you choose the most suitable network.

Fiber to the Building (FTTB)

FTTB (Fiber to the Building) is a fiber optic network architecture designed to bring fiber optic networks into buildings, typically used in multi-dwelling units (MDUs) or commercial office buildings. In an FTTB scenario, the Optical Network Unit (ONU) is typically deployed within the building's corridors to provide access speeds of up to 100Mbps. However, FTTB environments are often complex due to dispersed nodes and the need to be close to residential areas.

In a typical FTTB scenario, an ONU can accommodate connections for tens of lines, typically providing network services for approximately twenty to several dozen users. The distance between the Optical Line Terminal (OLT) and ONU is usually less than 20 kilometers, while the typical distance between the ONU and users is below 300 meters. Each user typically has a bandwidth capacity of 50/100Mbps.

Fiber to the Curb (FTTC)

FTTC (Fiber to the Curb) is a network architecture that extends fiber to distribution points near residential areas, providing network connections for hundreds of users. Cabinets are typically set up at the curb, and these cabinets are usually integrated designs that include power supplies and optical distribution frames (ODF). ONUs (Optical Network Units) are deployed inside these cabinets, and by stacking them, they can connect hundreds of lines. In existing residential areas, the coverage range of FTTC is typically within 500 meters; in rural and urban areas, the coverage range is typically within 1500 meters. In such application scenarios, the distance between the OLT (Optical Line Terminal) and ONU is usually less than 20 kilometers, and the typical distance between the ONU and users is 1 to 3 kilometers, providing users with bandwidth access capabilities of 2 to 25Mbps.

It's worth noting that the final segment of the connection from the ONU to the user typically utilizes existing copper lines (such as ADSL2+ or VDSL2) or coaxial cables to achieve network coverage to the user's home, effectively reducing deployment costs. FTTC is suitable for suburban and rural areas, achieving wide user coverage with minimal fiber deployment; for existing residential areas, it can provide fiber access services without significantly modifying the existing infrastructure.

Fiber to the Office (FTTO)

FTTO (Fiber to the Office) is a network architecture that extends the fiber optic network to corporate offices, providing network services for business users. The fiber connection is dedicated to a single company or office user. In this scenario, the ONU (Optical Network Unit) is typically placed in the central server room of the company to ensure optimal security measures and ease of connection to user equipment. The ONU's data port usually connects to the company's core switch, which then connects to cameras and terminal computers through the switch.

The fiber connections in the FTTO architecture are stable and have low signal attenuation, ensuring reliable and stable network connections for corporate offices. The distance between the ONU and the OLT (Optical Line Terminal) is usually less than 20 kilometers, and the typical distance between the ONU and the business users is typically between 0 and 50 meters. Each user can enjoy bandwidth between 100Mbps and 1Gbps.

Fiber to the Home (FTTH)

FTTH (Fiber to the Home) provides high-speed and stable broadband access by directly laying fiber to each household. In this scenario, each household is typically equipped with an ONU (Optical Network Unit), which connects directly to the user's home network devices. This setup provides each user with bandwidth of 100Mbps or higher, meeting the modern household's demand for high-speed internet, such as HD television, online gaming, and large file transfers. The typical distance between the ONU and the user's devices is usually within the range of 0 to 20 meters, ensuring signal stability and efficient bandwidth utilization.

One of the advantages of this technology is its extensive user coverage, primarily targeting new buildings or high-end residential areas. Especially in newly constructed residential buildings or apartments, FTTH can lay fiber directly to each household during the construction phase, achieving seamless broadband access.

PON is a common technology used to implement FTTH. This article introduces typical FTTH architecture. If you would like to learn more, you can check: Unveiling the Power of GPON in Modern FTTH Networks.

Fiber to the Room (FTTR)

FTTR is a network architecture that extends fiber optic cables directly to each room within a building. By extending fiber directly to each room of the user, it further upgrades the traditional Fiber to the Home (FTTH) to Fiber to the Room (FTTR), providing a brand-new gigabit network coverage solution.

FTTR (Fiber To The Room) generally involves the configuration of a main ONU and slave ONUs. The main ONU is typically positioned between the OLT and the slave ONUs. It connects upward to the OLT via XGPON or 10G EPON, supporting gigabit access to the home, and provides fiber interfaces for connecting to the slave ONUs. The slave ONUs refer to the distributed Wi-Fi access devices within the home, which are placed in various rooms. These slave ONUs connect upward to the main ONU via household fiber optic cables and provide Wi-Fi 6 and GE ports for accessing various home internet devices.

One major benefit of FTTR is its capability to deliver bandwidth up to 10 Gbps, exceeding the constraints of copper-based Ethernet networks. This allows for effortless downloading of large files, smooth streaming of high-definition videos, and lag-free online gaming, even over longer distances. Furthermore, the optical fiber used in FTTR provides a much more dependable data transmission between client devices. Unlike traditional copper cables, optical fiber is resistant to electromagnetic interference, ensuring a stable connection even during storms or power outages.

Summary

As the public's demand for high-speed internet, such as high-definition video and online gaming, which require high bandwidth, continues to grow, operators are gradually accelerating the deployment and application of FTTX technology. With a diverse customer base and professional technical foundation, the FTTx solutions provided by FS are of exceptional quality and reliability. For more details, please visit FS.COM.