Fiber Optic Technology is Coming Home! - A new era in FTTX
November 04, 2009
Back To List
Back To List
Did you ever think that watching high-definition TV (HDTV), downloading movies on demand, communicating over the Internet, and sharing large files like video and photos would become a common practice in our daily lives?
Technology is everywhere, and with applications like YouTube, online gaming and Internet TV, there is an even greater demand for bandwidth and faster transmission speeds to send and receive information at the speed of light. While some have turned to digital subscriber lines (DSL) from local telephone companies or coaxial cable from cable TV providers to increase transmission speeds, the ever growing demand for bandwidth is beginning to take its toll, and these technologies are not capable of keeping pace.
Only fiber optic technology has the ability to provide the bandwidth needed to quickly transfer large amounts of information to and from homes and neighborhoods across the nation. In the past, fiber optic systems were very expensive, but the demand for bandwidth and the advancements made in fiber optic technology have helped reduce cost. As a result, fiber optic cabling is fast gaining traction, letting homeowners live the dream that we dared to dream just 10 years ago.
The term FTTx-fiber to the x-is a generic term used to describe any network that uses fiber optic cabling in the final stretch to reach a customer with the "x" representing a variety of destinations and applications. Often referred to as a last-mile application, the distance of this fiber optic cable can vary considerably depending on location. Some common uses of FTTx in the telecommunications industry are as follows:
FTTH - fiber to the home-typically refers to fiber optic cabling brought directly to a single-family residence.
FTTC - fiber to the curb-typically refers to fiber optic cabling brought within 1,000 feet of a home and another medium is used to carry signals a short distance to a home or multiple homes. FTTC is typically less costly to deploy than FTTH but has lower bandwidth potential.
FTTN - fiber to the neighborhood - is essentially the same concept as FTTC but is sometimes used to refer to installing fiber optic cabling generally to all curbs in a neighborhood.
FTTP - fiber to the premise- is the same as FTTH but is sometimes more commonly used to refer to businesses versus homes.
FTTB - fiber to the business or building-is another similar term.
FTTD - fiber to the desk-refers to an in-building cabling topology where fiber optic cabling is used to connect individual work area outlets to a local area network (LAN).
FTTE - fiber to the enclosure-refers to an in-building topology where fiber optic cabling connects remote enclosures to the LAN and another medium connects individual work area outlets to the enclosure. This brings the fiber and the higher bandwidth closer to the edge of the network.
Because corporations and businesses transmit a lot of information and require higher speeds, FTTP/FTTB is fairly commonplace for most commercial buildings today, especially in metropolitan areas. Most companies also deploy fiber within their backbone infrastructure to connect telecommunications closets that serve various areas of a building. Due to the several benefits of fiber, in-building applications like FTTE and FTTD have also made their way into several high-tech businesses and government applications. For example, many Department of Defense and military facilities deploy FTTD due to fiber's non-metallic design, which makes it unsusceptible to interference and harder to tap than copper cabling. While these applications represent only a small percentage of the market, they continue to grow in high-tech and government applications.
In the residential market, FTTH, FTTC and FTTN are also growing. Major service providers like Verizon and AT&T are rolling out FTTH in several areas. Verizon was the first major service provider to offer FTTH through its FiOS program, a bundled communications service that uses fiber optic cabling to deliver Internet, telephone and high-definition TV to homes and neighborhoods. FiOS is currently available in 16 states and delivered to more than 13.8 million customers, which is about 43 percent of the households in Verizon's wireline network footprint.
FiOS Internet provides a broadband downstream speed of up to 50 Mbps and upstream speeds of up to 20 Mbps. According to an In-Stat survey, the average upstream connection used by cable broadband customers is only 2.68 Mbps. With the speeds provided by FiOS, a customer could upload 200 photos in approximately 90 seconds and a 20-minute high-definition video in less than 7 minutes. FiOS TV includes more than 500 digital channels, 100 HDTV channels and 14,000 video on demand titles.
Verizon is currently building its FTTH network using passive optical network (PON) technology. PON technology uses unpowered inexpensive optical splitters that split downstream signals to multiple locations.
In a PON, a singlemode fiber extends from an optical line terminal (OLT) at the service provider's central office out to a location near a neighborhood where optical splitters fan out the signal onto multiple fibers. This minimizes the amount of fiber required and allows for the fiber to reach greater distances between the central office and neighborhood.
In FTTC and FTTN applications, fiber is typically terminated to an optical network unit (ONU) where the optical signal is converted to an electrical signal to be sent over copper media to multiple homes. In an FTTH application, the fiber is terminated to an optical network terminal (ONT) at the customer location where it transitions to the home's wiring, which can be copper or a combination of copper and fiber.
To separate voice, video and data signals, PON technology uses wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology. WDM is a simple concept based on a key property of light's wavelength or color. WDM combines multiple signals on a single fiber using different color wavelengths of light, which enables the signals to be carried simultaneously.
The different wavelengths are combined by a multiplexer at one end and separated (de-multiplexed) at the other end.Confused? Think of a prism. When white light travels through a prism, the various wavelengths of color can be separated into a spectrum of colors. WDM technology for FTTH uses three different wavelengths of color for transmitting data to and from the customer location. Upstream data is sent in a burst on the 1310 nm wavelength. A burst is when data is temporarily sent faster than normal. This is typically achieved by allowing the signal to take precedence over other signals. FiOS uses the 1490 nm wavelength for downstream data and the 1550 nm wavelength for video.
When installing and maintaining PONs, the signals need to be measured to ensure to ensure reliable operation, service quality and customer satisfaction. This is most easily accomplished using a PON power meter specifically intended for FTTH applications.
LANshack.com is now carrying Precision Rated Optic's advanced PON-specific power meter, the PON-301. This innovative device has the ability to test a pass-through connection for ONT measurement, simultaneously test all PON signals, filter each wavelength for individual testing, and detect the upstream data burst at the 1310 nm wavelength.
Click here for more information:PON-301
While FTTH is fast becoming a reality across the nation, many homebuilders and homeowners are wondering how to prepare their homes and what this technology means for the future. In FTTC and FTTH applications, the fiber signal that comes to the home is typically converted to an electrical signal via media conversion either at the curb or at the home.
Today's homes should be wired with a minimum of two unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) copper wires per outlet using a standard star configuration from the point of conversion using a switch or router. To take full advantage of the increased bandwidth and speeds provided by FTTC applications, the UTP cables deployed in the home should be the highest performing such as Category 6A. (see Category 6A tutorial). Today's wireless routers, laptops, computers, and TV set-top boxes are designed to connect to this technology. More and more equipment with the ability to connect to a UTP network is being introduced every day, including refrigerators, TVs, security systems and more.
To completely future proof a home, fiber can also be deployed directly to outlets along with the UTP from the ONT. When deploying fiber within a home, it's best to use multimode fiber. While the long-haul fiber coming from the central office to the home's ONT is typically singlemode, multimode fiber electronics are much less expensive, and the distances within the home would not require singlemode technology.
Most household TVs, personal computers, and other appliances are not currently offered with fiber connections that allow them to connect directly to fiber, but that's not to say that someday these devices won't be available. Perhaps in the future, we'll all have the ability to talk on high-definition video phones that connect directly to fiber or need fiber network interface cards for even faster computing speeds. Only time will tell!
Tony Casazza - RCDD
Technology is everywhere, and with applications like YouTube, online gaming and Internet TV, there is an even greater demand for bandwidth and faster transmission speeds to send and receive information at the speed of light. While some have turned to digital subscriber lines (DSL) from local telephone companies or coaxial cable from cable TV providers to increase transmission speeds, the ever growing demand for bandwidth is beginning to take its toll, and these technologies are not capable of keeping pace.
Only fiber optic technology has the ability to provide the bandwidth needed to quickly transfer large amounts of information to and from homes and neighborhoods across the nation. In the past, fiber optic systems were very expensive, but the demand for bandwidth and the advancements made in fiber optic technology have helped reduce cost. As a result, fiber optic cabling is fast gaining traction, letting homeowners live the dream that we dared to dream just 10 years ago.
What is FTTx?
The term FTTx-fiber to the x-is a generic term used to describe any network that uses fiber optic cabling in the final stretch to reach a customer with the "x" representing a variety of destinations and applications. Often referred to as a last-mile application, the distance of this fiber optic cable can vary considerably depending on location. Some common uses of FTTx in the telecommunications industry are as follows:
FTTH - fiber to the home-typically refers to fiber optic cabling brought directly to a single-family residence.
FTTC - fiber to the curb-typically refers to fiber optic cabling brought within 1,000 feet of a home and another medium is used to carry signals a short distance to a home or multiple homes. FTTC is typically less costly to deploy than FTTH but has lower bandwidth potential.
FTTN - fiber to the neighborhood - is essentially the same concept as FTTC but is sometimes used to refer to installing fiber optic cabling generally to all curbs in a neighborhood.
FTTP - fiber to the premise- is the same as FTTH but is sometimes more commonly used to refer to businesses versus homes.
FTTB - fiber to the business or building-is another similar term.
FTTD - fiber to the desk-refers to an in-building cabling topology where fiber optic cabling is used to connect individual work area outlets to a local area network (LAN).
FTTE - fiber to the enclosure-refers to an in-building topology where fiber optic cabling connects remote enclosures to the LAN and another medium connects individual work area outlets to the enclosure. This brings the fiber and the higher bandwidth closer to the edge of the network.
Who's deploying it?
Because corporations and businesses transmit a lot of information and require higher speeds, FTTP/FTTB is fairly commonplace for most commercial buildings today, especially in metropolitan areas. Most companies also deploy fiber within their backbone infrastructure to connect telecommunications closets that serve various areas of a building. Due to the several benefits of fiber, in-building applications like FTTE and FTTD have also made their way into several high-tech businesses and government applications. For example, many Department of Defense and military facilities deploy FTTD due to fiber's non-metallic design, which makes it unsusceptible to interference and harder to tap than copper cabling. While these applications represent only a small percentage of the market, they continue to grow in high-tech and government applications.
In the residential market, FTTH, FTTC and FTTN are also growing. Major service providers like Verizon and AT&T are rolling out FTTH in several areas. Verizon was the first major service provider to offer FTTH through its FiOS program, a bundled communications service that uses fiber optic cabling to deliver Internet, telephone and high-definition TV to homes and neighborhoods. FiOS is currently available in 16 states and delivered to more than 13.8 million customers, which is about 43 percent of the households in Verizon's wireline network footprint.
FiOS Internet provides a broadband downstream speed of up to 50 Mbps and upstream speeds of up to 20 Mbps. According to an In-Stat survey, the average upstream connection used by cable broadband customers is only 2.68 Mbps. With the speeds provided by FiOS, a customer could upload 200 photos in approximately 90 seconds and a 20-minute high-definition video in less than 7 minutes. FiOS TV includes more than 500 digital channels, 100 HDTV channels and 14,000 video on demand titles.
How does it all work?
Verizon is currently building its FTTH network using passive optical network (PON) technology. PON technology uses unpowered inexpensive optical splitters that split downstream signals to multiple locations.
In a PON, a singlemode fiber extends from an optical line terminal (OLT) at the service provider's central office out to a location near a neighborhood where optical splitters fan out the signal onto multiple fibers. This minimizes the amount of fiber required and allows for the fiber to reach greater distances between the central office and neighborhood.
In FTTC and FTTN applications, fiber is typically terminated to an optical network unit (ONU) where the optical signal is converted to an electrical signal to be sent over copper media to multiple homes. In an FTTH application, the fiber is terminated to an optical network terminal (ONT) at the customer location where it transitions to the home's wiring, which can be copper or a combination of copper and fiber.
To separate voice, video and data signals, PON technology uses wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology. WDM is a simple concept based on a key property of light's wavelength or color. WDM combines multiple signals on a single fiber using different color wavelengths of light, which enables the signals to be carried simultaneously.
The different wavelengths are combined by a multiplexer at one end and separated (de-multiplexed) at the other end.Confused? Think of a prism. When white light travels through a prism, the various wavelengths of color can be separated into a spectrum of colors. WDM technology for FTTH uses three different wavelengths of color for transmitting data to and from the customer location. Upstream data is sent in a burst on the 1310 nm wavelength. A burst is when data is temporarily sent faster than normal. This is typically achieved by allowing the signal to take precedence over other signals. FiOS uses the 1490 nm wavelength for downstream data and the 1550 nm wavelength for video.
When installing and maintaining PONs, the signals need to be measured to ensure to ensure reliable operation, service quality and customer satisfaction. This is most easily accomplished using a PON power meter specifically intended for FTTH applications.
LANshack.com is now carrying Precision Rated Optic's advanced PON-specific power meter, the PON-301. This innovative device has the ability to test a pass-through connection for ONT measurement, simultaneously test all PON signals, filter each wavelength for individual testing, and detect the upstream data burst at the 1310 nm wavelength.
Click here for more information:PON-301
FTTH considerations for the homeowner
While FTTH is fast becoming a reality across the nation, many homebuilders and homeowners are wondering how to prepare their homes and what this technology means for the future. In FTTC and FTTH applications, the fiber signal that comes to the home is typically converted to an electrical signal via media conversion either at the curb or at the home.
Today's homes should be wired with a minimum of two unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) copper wires per outlet using a standard star configuration from the point of conversion using a switch or router. To take full advantage of the increased bandwidth and speeds provided by FTTC applications, the UTP cables deployed in the home should be the highest performing such as Category 6A. (see Category 6A tutorial). Today's wireless routers, laptops, computers, and TV set-top boxes are designed to connect to this technology. More and more equipment with the ability to connect to a UTP network is being introduced every day, including refrigerators, TVs, security systems and more.
To completely future proof a home, fiber can also be deployed directly to outlets along with the UTP from the ONT. When deploying fiber within a home, it's best to use multimode fiber. While the long-haul fiber coming from the central office to the home's ONT is typically singlemode, multimode fiber electronics are much less expensive, and the distances within the home would not require singlemode technology.
Most household TVs, personal computers, and other appliances are not currently offered with fiber connections that allow them to connect directly to fiber, but that's not to say that someday these devices won't be available. Perhaps in the future, we'll all have the ability to talk on high-definition video phones that connect directly to fiber or need fiber network interface cards for even faster computing speeds. Only time will tell!
Tony Casazza - RCDD
