What is FTTH?
Fiber to the Home (FTTH) delivers fiber optic connectivity directly to residential and business premises, offering symmetrical gigabit speeds and future-proof bandwidth.
GPON Architecture
OLT (Central Office)
↓ 1:64 splitter
ONU/ONT (Customer Premises)
- OLT: Optical Line Terminal — the ISP side, manages up to 128 ONUs per port
- Splitter: Passive device dividing one fiber into 64 (or 32/16)
- ONU/ONT: Optical Network Unit/Terminal — the customer device with WiFi, voice, and Ethernet ports
Planning Your FTTH Network
1. Splitter Ratio Selection
- 1:32: Better performance, fewer subscribers per OLT port
- 1:64: Maximum density, cost-effective for dense urban areas
- 1:128: Emerging standard for very dense deployments
2. Fiber Cable Selection
- Drop cables: 1-2 fiber, LSZH jacket, rodent-resistant options
- Distribution: 12-24 fiber microduct cables
- Feeder: 48-288 fiber for backbone
3. ONU Selection
| Type | Ports | WiFi | Voice | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridge | 1-4 GE | No | No | Business, custom router |
| WiFi 5 | 4 GE | 802.11ac | 1-2 POTS | Residential standard |
| WiFi 6 | 4 GE | 802.11ax | 1-2 POTS | Premium residential |
| XGS-PON | 4 GE + 10G | WiFi 6 | 2 POTS | Future-proof |
Installation Best Practices
- Bend radius: Never less than 30mm for standard fiber
- Connector cleaning: Use IPA wipes and inspect with microscope
- Splice quality: Aim for <0.1dB loss per splice
- Labeling: Every cable, every port — future maintenance depends on it
- Testing: OTDR testing for every drop, power meter at ONU
Common FTTH Mistakes
- Undersizing the OLT (not enough PON ports for growth)
- Poor splitter placement (hard to access for troubleshooting)
- Using non-LSZH cables in buildings (fire safety violation)
- Skipping OTDR testing (hidden faults cause outages later)
BHL Networks FTTH Solutions
Complete GPON/EPON solutions including OLTs (4 to 16 PON ports), ONUs/ONTs (WiFi 5/6, VoIP), fiber splitters, drop cables, and patch cords. All equipment ITU-T G.984/G.988 compliant with remote management via TR-069/OMCI.