ONT or OLT?
When you are setting up fibre Internet in your home or office, you come across an expansive list of abbreviations to understand. Among that list are things like PON, ONT, OLT, ONU, and more. Trying to understand these abbreviations
and how they work together can be overwhelming. We will go through the ones you need to know and why. This way, you can better understand your Internet service provider (ISP) during the purchase and installation of fibre
optic services (FiOS) in your space.
OLT & ONT
There are two devices that you need to know to understand how fibre works. They are OLT and ONT.
· OLT stands for Optical Line Terminal. An OLT is the device that serves as your ISPs endpoint of the passive optical network (PON). The OLT
also provides the interface between a PON and your ISP’s core network. Simply put, an OLT is ISP equipment.
· ONT stands for Optical Network Terminal. An ONT is the device that serves as the telecommunication chain’s endpoint of the PON on your end. Another
abbreviation to know is an ONU, which stands for Optical Network Unit. ONU and ONT are often used interchangeably. More or less, they are the same. Simply put, an ONT/ONU refer
to the user side equipment.
The Purpose of an OLT
The OLT is the device that exists at your ISPs central hub.
An OLT has a few purposes:
1. Control the information flowing upstream and downstream.
2. Convert the standard signals used by fibre optic service (FiOS) to the frequency and framing used by a PON system.
3. Coordinate the multiple analog or digital signals that are combined into one signal (called multiplexing) that happens between the ONT conversion devices.
The upstream channel transmits different types of data and voice traffic from users to the ISP. The downstream channel is what receives data, voice and video traffic and sends it to all ONT devices on your network.
The Purpose of an ONT/ONU
The ONT/ONU is the device that exists at your home or office.
The ONT acts as an optical modem and communicates with your ISP through a fibre optical cable. The ONT sends user data upstream to the OLT and receives data on the downstream channel.
ONT and OLT are essential devices in a PON network system.
PON ?
PON stands for passive optical network. It is a type of fibre-optic network. A PON Internet (shared fibre) system operates on an unpowered network (passive) meaning that it does not require any active components. Instead,
it only uses fibre and passive components like splitters and combiners.
A PON system is designed to deliver broadband Internet access to your home or office by connecting you as a subscriber to your Internet service provider (ISP). A PON is a point-to-multipoint system comprised of the following
components:
· Optical line terminal (OLT) which is the device at your ISP’s central hub
· Optical network terminal (ONT) which is the device near to your home or office
· Optical network unit (ONU) which is virtually the same as an ONT.
There are various types of PON networks. One advantage of using passive components are is that they are far more cost-effective than using active components on a point-to-point system. The passive components are just one
key advantage, but there are a handful of others.
Here are 5 key advantages that PON Internet has over others:
PON Internet is cost-effective.
PON is a cost-effective technology. Because PON technology uses a single-optical fibre to support multiple users (point-to-multipoint), it costs less in infrastructure
and material costs than active point-to-point systems.
Offers the highest Internet speeds available.
PON technology can transmit data at a gigabyte per second (1Gbps)* or more. The data transmit is also symmetrical, which means that it doesn’t matter if the
data is travelling upstream or downstream, it is fast. This can be highly beneficial especially for businesses because of the higher download and upload demands.
Delivers a reliable and adaptable Internet connection.
One of the biggest advantages is that fibre is incredibly more reliable than other technologies. One reason is that the fibre cabling itself is smaller,
lighter, more flexible, and easier to route through homes and buildings than other types of wiring. Also, fibre isn’t at risk for electro-magnetic interferences since it doesn’t use electricity to transmit data.
Delivers more services than just Internet.
PON doesn’t just give you Internet access. A shared fibre can also support services like voice (phone service) and video in addition to Internet. This means that
with one shared network, you can get all three services and at a higher quality.
PONs are flexible and scalable.
Lastly, if you are a business owner, a PON’s point-to-multipoint structure is a huge advantage. This is because it is scalable. So, as your business and network grow, you
will have the support you need for your changing bandwidth needs.
*correct at the time of publishing
CBT
A connectorised block terminal, also referred to as a “connectorised terminal block”, is an external box used to join and secure multiple fibre cables together. It acts as an interface between external devices or systems, allowing
for an organised, reliable transfer of signals or power.
The CBT is connected back to the exchange via fibre-optic cable and must be installed in an underground chamber or attached to a telegraph pole close to the premises where FTTP is being installed.
As soon as the CBT has been installed and has gone live, customers can then order FTTP from a range of broadband providers.
The CBT is available in various sizes and configurations, providing flexibility in accommodating different connection needs. They can be easily expanded or reconfigured as system requirements change.
FTTP
FTTP stands for fibre to the premises and is a type of fibre optic broadband. FTTP is supplied by fibre optic cables from your local internet exchange — a physical location where network providers transmit internet data — directly to your business or home premises.
FTTC
Whilst FTTP is a pure fibre optic delivery method, FTTC is a blend of copper and fibre optic cables
. Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) uses fibre optic cables right up to the street cabinet, and then a copper line (telephone) , known as a PSTN line, to connect the cabinet to the premises, be it your home or your business.