Passive Optical Network (PON)

A Passive Optical Network is a broadband configuration that brings optical fiber networks all or most of the way to the end user. A PON consists of an Optical Line Termination (OLT) at the central office and a number of Optical Network Units (ONUs) near end users. It is, in other words, a point-to-multipoint configuration, which reduces the amount of fiber required compared with point to point.

Passive optical networks can transport high volumes of upstream and downstream bandwidth (up to 622 Mbps downstream and 155 Mbps upstream).




The diagram above shows a passive optical network (PON) transporting fiber to the curb (FTTC), fiber to the neighborhood (FTTN) and fiber to the building (FTTH, FTTP).

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