No matter what type of broadband network you ultimately deploy, the first step for network operators is choosing an architecture for the physical infrastructure. There are many factors to consider, including cost of materials and labor, time to deploy, future adaptability, and the degree of fiber richness required to serve the needs of your community.
FTTH: Design Your Network Architecture
FTTH: Design Your Network Architecture
FTTH Network Solutions: Let’s Get Started
FTTH Network Solutions: Let’s Get Started
The simplest way to begin designing a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network architecture is to consider where you’ll be building it. These four options are the most common types of FTTH designs.
Medium & Large Cities: Home Run Network
A Home Run network offers the highest bandwidth capability and the easiest upgrade path for densely populated areas.
- Connects each subscriber with a dedicated fiber to the signal source at the central office.
- Offers a high level of flexibility and port efficiency.
- Requires large cross-connect cabinets with dedicated pads or pole spaces.
- This is the most expensive network to build.
Large Towns & Small Cities: Centralized Split Network
The most common U.S. architecture, a Centralized Split network is best for a concentrated area of homes and businesses.
- Connects each subscriber with a dedicated fiber to a local convergence cabinet.
- Lower-fiber-count feeder cables connect the cabinet to the central office.
- Easy to change split ratios and transport technologies.
- Requires large, centralized cabinets with dedicated pads or pole spaces.
- High-fiber-count cables exiting the cabinets can be costly due to the length of the distribution.
Centralized Split Guide
Small Towns & Villages: Distributed Split Network
A Distributed Split network provides a leaner fiber solution for the central housing and business district of small communities.
- Connects each subscriber with a fiber drop cable to the closest splitter terminal access point rather than a dedicated fiber to a central location, which can limit future flexibility.
- Reduces the number of fibers required.
- Provides flexible split ratios with combinations of 2, 4, and 8 splitters.
- Troubleshooting occurs at several split locations, not one interconnection point.
Distributed Split Guide
Wide-Open Spaces: Optical Tap Network
An Optical Tap network is the best option for sparsely populated areas with limited future growth.
- Connects each subscriber with a dedicated fiber to the splitter terminal using extremely low-fiber-count cables.
- Requires careful planning to ensure sufficient signal reaches the last subscriber in the sequence.
- Any disruption at the terminal impacts all downstream subscribers.
- Limited bandwidth flexibility for subscribers sharing a single optical line terminal.
Optical Tap Guide
What’s Next?
What’s Next?
Learn more about FTTH Network Architectures
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