Fiber to the Home (FTTH) is a system that installs fiber optics from a central point directly into individual buildings such as homes and apartments. FTTH deployment has come a long way before users adopted fiber optics instead of copper for broadband Internet access.
There are two basic paths to deploying a high-speed FTTH network: active optical networks (AON) and passive optical networks (PON).
So AON and PON networks: what’s the difference?
What is an AON network?
An AON is a point-to-point network architecture in which each subscriber has its own fiber optic line that is terminated at an optical concentrator. an AON network encompasses electrically powered switching devices such as routers or switching aggregators to manage signal distribution and directional signaling to specific customers.
Switches are turned on and off in a variety of ways to direct incoming and outgoing signals to the appropriate locations.The AON network’s reliance on Ethernet technology makes interoperability between providers easy. Subscribers can choose hardware that provides appropriate data rates and scale up as their needs increase without having to reconfigure the network. However, AON networks require at least one switch aggregator per subscriber.
What is a PON network?
Unlike AON networks, PON is a point-to-multipoint network architecture that uses passive splitters to separate and collect optical signals. Fiber splitters allow a PON network to serve multiple subscribers in a single fiber without the need to deploy separate fibers between the hub and the end user.
As the name suggests, PON networks do not include motorized switching equipment and share fiber bundles for portions of the network. Active equipment is only required at the source and receiving ends of the signal.
In a typical PON network, the PLC splitter is the centerpiece. Fiber optic taps combine multiple optical signals into a single output, or fiber optic taps take a single optical input and distribute it to multiple individual outputs. These taps for PON are bidirectional. To be clear, fiber optic signals can be sent downstream from the central office to broadcast to all subscribers. Signals from subscribers can be sent upstream and combined into a single fiber to communicate with the central office.
AON vs PON Networks: Differences and Options
Both PON and AON networks form the fiber optic backbone of an FTTH system, allowing people and businesses to access the Internet. Before choosing a PON or AON, it is important to understand the differences between them.
Signal Distribution
When it comes to AON and PON networks, the main difference between them is the way the optical signal is distributed to each customer in an FTTH system. In an AON system, subscribers have dedicated bundles of fiber, which allows them to have access to the same bandwidth, rather than a shared one. In a PON network, subscribers share a portion of the network’s fiber bundle in the PON. As a result, people using PON may also find that their system is slower because all users share the same bandwidth. If a problem occurs within a PON system, it can be difficult to find the source of the problem.
Costs
The largest ongoing expense in a network is the cost of powering equipment and maintenance. PON uses passive devices that require less maintenance and no power supply than an AON network, which is an active network. So PON is cheaper than AON.
Coverage Distance and Applications
AON can cover a distance range of up to 90 kilometers, whereas PON is usually limited by fiber optic cable lines up to 20 kilometers long. This means that PON users must be geographically closer to the originating signal.
In addition, if it is associated with a particular application or service, a number of other factors need to be considered. For example, if RF and video services are to be deployed, then PON is usually the only viable solution. However, if all services are Internet Protocol-based, then PON or AON may be appropriate. If longer distances are involved and providing power and cooling to active components in the field can be problematic, then PON may be the best choice. Or, if the target customer is commercial or the project involves multiple residential units, then an AON network may be more appropriate.
AON vs. PON Networks: Which FTTH do you prefer?
When choosing between PON or AON, it is important to consider what services will be delivered over the network, the overall network topology, and who the primary customers are. Many operators have deployed a mix of both networks in different situations. However, as the need for network interoperability and scalability continues to grow, network architectures are tending to allow any fiber to be used interchangeably in PON or AON applications to meet the requirements of future needs.
Post time: Oct-24-2024