FTTH access network
A full passive optical access build, from the central office to the subscriber — active head end and passive outside plant supplied together.
Overview
Optical communication
The defining constraint of an FTTH build is the optical loss budget. Every split, every connector and every splice consumes part of it, and the network only works if what is left at the far end is still enough for the receiver.
Because we make both the active head end and the passive outside plant, the budget is worked out by the same supplier that provides both ends of it — which is the point of buying the whole chain in one place.
How the system works
The signal path for this kind of project, from the sources on the left to what the end user receives on the right.
Design
What decides the design
Four things that change the specification more than the equipment list does.
- Splitting ratio A 1:32 split leaves far less headroom at the subscriber than a 1:8. Choose the ratio on the worst-case run, not the average one.
- Loss budget Send the subscriber count and approximate run lengths. We will check the budget before you commit to a ratio.
- Duct and pole availability The outside plant cost usually dominates. Existing ducts or poles change the design more than any equipment choice.
- Where the splitter sits Centralised splitting is simpler to maintain; distributed splitting uses less feeder fibre. The right answer depends on the geography.
Typical configurations
Indicative starting points. Send us the actual figures and we will come back with a real configuration.
| Deployment | Subscribers | Split ratio | Splitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-dwelling building | Under 100 | 1:8 – 1:16 | In-building |
| Residential district | 100–1,000 | 1:16 – 1:32 | Cabinet-based |
| Rural deployment | 1,000+ | 1:32 or distributed | Distributed |
Describe the site and we will design it
Tell us the scale, the location and what the network has to do. Our engineers will come back with a configuration and a factory price.