How does residential fiber optics work?

Fiber optics is the future of internet connectivity, and Brazil is keeping up with this trend through the constant expansion of its network. Major service providers are replacing legacy technologies such as xDSL, which uses telephone cables (known as twisted pair), and DOCSIS, which utilizes TV cables (coaxial cable), with GPON.

And it’s not without reason! With the arrival of FTTH, high-speed and reliable connection is within reach for everyone.

What is FTTH? Simply put, FTTH is the replacement of traditional copper cables with fiber optic cables, which are capable of transmitting information at much higher speeds and with lower latency.

In general, service providers employ a technology called GPON in their last-mile networks, which refers to the portion of the network that extends from the provider to the customer.

What is GPON? GPON is a fiber optic network technology used to provide internet, TV, and telephone services. It is an evolution of the Passive Optical Network (PON) system and uses fiber optics to deliver high-speed and high-quality services to residential and commercial users.

In a GPON system, the service provider installs an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) in a centralized location and then extends the network to multiple houses or buildings using fiber optic cables. The fiber optic cable connects the OLT to up to 128 network devices for each user, called Optical Network Terminals (ONTs) or Optical Network Units (ONUs).

The OLT is responsible for managing and controlling all data traffic in the network, sending information to the ONTs and receiving information from them. The ONTs, in turn, convert the fiber optic signals into electrical signals for use by user devices such as internet modems, TVs, and phones. Each ONT is connected to the splitter via a fiber optic cable, which is responsible for splitting the signal from the OLT among the connected ONTs.

The GPON system uses a technique called Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) to transmit data over different wavelengths of light, allowing a single fiber optic cable to carry data signals for multiple users. This process is known as optical division. The OLT sends data to the ONTs using a single light frequency, and the ONTs receive the data intended for them using another frequency.

One of the main advantages of GPON is its ability to serve many users with a single OLT, which helps reduce costs for service providers. Additionally, fiber optics are more resistant to electromagnetic interference than the copper cables used in DSL and coaxial connection systems.

In summary, GPON is a fiber optic network technology that uses optical division to transmit data over different light frequencies, serving multiple users with a single OLT. It offers high-speed and high-quality services for residential and commercial users and is one of the most advanced technologies in terms of last-mile fiber optics.