Passive Optical Networks (PON):
What it means to your buildings
Traditional Network
A traditional network utilizes active components to direct the flow of information to the appropriate destination. The active switches require power and introduce additional heat into the surrounding area. In a small space with only a few points of utilization the power requirements and heat output can be negligible. As the quantity of devices grow so do the power requirements, heat gains and energy consumption. These active components require space and cooling in larger facilities.
Passive Optical Network
There is a relatively new alternative on the market, called Passive Optical Network or PON. It has been used by telecommunications utilities for years in fiber to the home (FTTH) deployments, however now the average building owner can afford the benefits that the cable companies and telecommunications providers have been using for years.
The major benefit of a passive system is that the technology was designed to exploit the inherent diversity that is present in the usage of networks. The system works by broadcasting an optical signal via fiber optic cable from the Optical Line Terminal (OLT). The OLT is the interface between the Local Area Network (LAN) and the outside world. The optical signal travels to the Optical Network Terminal (ONT). The ONT serves multiple functions. It translates the optical signal to an electronic signal that the computer can understand, it is responsible for transmitting an optical signal back upstream, and it is responsible for coordinating, with the other ONTs, when it can send information upstream as to not overlap with data sent from the other ONTs.
Current PON technology in the United States consists of Gigabit Passive Optical Networks (GPON) and Ten Gigabit Passive Optical Networks (XGPON).
Bottom Line
What does it mean for your building? It means faster speeds (2.488 Gbps download and 1.244 Gbps upload to each user) at a fraction of the cost of a traditional switched network deployment; it means you can utilize smaller telecommunications rooms that consume less energy and produce less heat; it means a more reliable system with less downtime; it means you will no longer need a full system upgrade every few years to keep up with new technology; and it means when you do decide to upgrade the system it can be done with minimal to no interruption in service to the end users. Smaller rooms, less energy, less maintenance and faster user speeds. What’s not to like?