Fiber-to-the-Home Construction Solution

1 Overview

With the rapid development of the Internet and global IP networks, broadband and broadband-based service access have become the development trend of the entire access network, and convergence is also an inevitable trend and long-pursued goal of communication network development. The current copper cable access technology used in access networks cannot meet the requirements of high bandwidth, long distance, and anti-interference. With the development of Fiber-to-the-Home technology and the implementation of NGN softswitch (VoIP) technology, IP network-based network convergence has been accelerated. For residential community access, a single fiber optic system can provide users with broadband services such as data and online gaming, as well as voice telephony needs for some customers, enabling the integration of telephony and data networks.

2 Technical Introduction

2.1 Smart Community

A smart community refers to the establishment of a "trinity" residential community service and management integrated system, composed of a residential community comprehensive property management center, security system, information service system, property management system, and home intelligence, through the use of modern communication network technology, computer technology, automatic control technology, and IC card technology, via an effective transmission network, enabling the community and each household to achieve a safe, comfortable, warm, and convenient living environment.

The main functions defined for a smart community should include:

1.     Utilize smart meter technology to achieve automatic collection of electricity consumption information
   

2.     Fiber-to-the-Home, serving the "triple play" convergence of the Internet, broadcast television network, and telecommunications network
   

3.     Configure electric vehicle charging management facilities to meet residents' needs for using electric vehicles
   

4.     Remote monitoring and control of home appliances, promoting rational household energy use
   

5.     Set up self-service payment terminals to facilitate customer bill payment.
   

6.     Achieve centralized meter reading for water, electricity, and gas, effectively integrating the human resources of various operators.
   

The foundation for building a smart community is a broadband communication network. Moreover, with the development of application systems and the emergence of new applications, the requirements for communication bandwidth are increasingly higher. Traditional communication access technologies and deployed cables will be unable to meet the needs of these applications.

2.2 EPON

Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) technology, as one of the point-to-multipoint implementation technologies for FTTH, is a combination of Gigabit Ethernet technology and Passive Optical Network (PON) technology. A typical EPON system consists of an OLT, ONU, and ODN. The OLT is placed in the central office, and the ONU is the customer premises equipment. The ODN is the optical distribution network, mainly composed of one or more optical splitters connecting the OLT and ONU, whose function is to distribute downstream data and aggregate upstream data. The OLT is both a switch or router and a multi-service provisioning platform, providing optical fiber interfaces for the passive optical network. In addition to providing network aggregation and access functions, the OLT can also perform bandwidth allocation, network security, and management configuration based on different QoS/SLA requirements of users. The optical splitter is a simple device that does not require power and can be placed in an all-weather environment. Generally, the splitting ratio of a single optical splitter is 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32, and multiple stages can be connected. In EPON, the maximum distance between the OLT and ONU can reach 20 km. If an optical amplifier (active repeater) is used, the distance can be further extended. The network structure of EPON is shown in the figure below.

EPON Network Structure Diagram