Defining Your FTTH Network

FTTH FAQs

• What is FTTH?

  Fiber to the home (FTTH) is a type of fiber optic network that connects fiber optic cables directly to individual houses or other buildings to provide high-speed broadband internet service and other broadband-enabled services like television and telephone. 

• How does a FTTH network work?

  In a fiber to the home (FTTH) network, fiber optic cables extend all the way from an internet service provider’s central office, or headend, to a subscriber’s house or building, allowing the provider to offer broadband internet service. That direct connection provides extremely high data transmission speeds capable of supporting high-bandwidth applications, like high-definition video streaming, online gaming, video conferencing, and cloud computing. Unlike traditional networks, in FTTH there are no copper-based cables, only glass-based, fiber optic cables.

• What are the components of a FTTH network?

  The components of a typical fiber to the home (FTTH) network include: 

  • Central Office or Headend: The central office, or headend, is the data center that controls the FTTH network. The fiber optic cables for the network originate at the central office/headend.
  • Optical Line Terminal (OLT): The OLT is an interface located in the internet provider’s central office/headend that sends and receives signals (data) between a service provider’s network and a subscriber's house or building.
  • Optical Distribution Network (ODN): The ODN is made up of the fiber optic cables and other passive optical network components, such as splitters and connectors, that allow signals (data) to pass back and forth between the provider’s central office/headend and a subscriber’s house or building.
  • Optical Network Terminal (ONT): An ONT is installed at a subscriber’s house or building and is the interface between the fiber optic network and the subscriber’s internet-enabled devices, like routers, laptops, tablets, TVs, doorbell cameras, and thermostats. 
  • Fiber Optic Cable: Fiber optic cables use optical signals (light) to transmit data back and forth between the central office/headend and a subscriber’s house or building, enabling broadband internet. 
  • Splitters: Splitters are used to split the optical signals (light) traveling through a single fiber optic cable into multiple fibers. By splitting the signal, multiple subscribers can be served by a single optical distribution network.
  • Drop Cable: A drop cable is a fiber optic cable that connects the optical distribution network (ODN) to the optical network terminal (ONT) inside a subscriber’s house or building. 
  • Customer Premises Equipment (CPE): CPE is the equipment installed by a broadband internet provider in the subscriber’s house or building. This includes the optical network terminal (ONT) and may also include routers, telephones, and set-top boxes for television, depending on which services the subscriber chooses. 
• What are the benefits of a FTTH network? 

  Fiber to the home (FTTH) networks offer several advantages over traditional copper-based networks, including significantly higher bandwidths, greater reliability, and symmetrical speeds (equal upload/download speeds). FTTH networks are also more adaptable for future needs, giving them a longer overall lifespan.