Fiber to the x, or FTTX, is a general term for a fiber optic network structure that refers to the “last mile” in telecommunications. To look at it another way, let’s suppose that you own a hotel. If a retail service provider is a tree, then the trunk of the tree reaches to your hotel, where it then branches out to deliver content to the leaves in each of the rooms where your customers are staying. This type of setup is common not only in hotels, but in hospitals, retirement homes, and MDU’s such as apartments.
While the concept of FTTX remains the same, there are several different variations that use different amounts of fiber optic cables and copper wires.
- FTTH (Fiber to the Home): This type of setup uses the most fiber optic cables, taking them all the way to a box either on the outside or inside of the home. Copper wires are only used to complete the connection between this box and the various devices, such as a router or set-top TV box.
- FTTB (Fiber to the Box): In this scenario, fiber optic cables reach the boundary of a building, such as an MDU, with other wires being used to complete the connection.
- FTTC (Fiber to the Cabinet): A cabinet refers to a cabinet or closet, typically about 1,000 feet away from the building. High-bandwidth copper wires such as Ethernet cables complete the loop.
- FTTN (Fiber to the Node): This setup is used by some providers offering triple-play telecommunications packages. Unlike FTTC, the street cabinet may be miles away from the customers, and copper wires are used to complete the connection.
How does this relate to Passive Optical Networks (PON)?
A PON is a specific type of FTTX network architecture that greatly reduces the equipment needed to deliver content to your customers. In fact, a single optical fiber can serve up to 128 customers.
An essential piece in a PON setup is the encoder. Our QRF-5000 encoder is a cost-effective way to encode your locally generated content and efficiently deliver it to your customers.
Fiber optic transmission is the fastest and most effective way to reach your customers, and Radiant Communications Corporation has all the equipment you need to improve your network. Browse our product gallery today to see all of the components we have to offer.
