India Broadband Forum

India Broadband Internet

Passive Optical Network (PON) is one in which unpowered optical splitters are used to allow a single optical fibre to serve multiple premises, up to 32. A PON comprises an Optical Line Termination (OLT) at the service provider’s premises and a number of Optical Network Units (ONUs) near end-users. This means that PON, which is a point-to-multipoint configuration, reduces the amount of fibre required as compared to point-to-point configuration. GPON (Giga PON) evolved from Broadband PON and supports higher rates, enhanced security and choice of Level 2 support including asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), generic framing method (GEM) and Ethernet.

GPON, the optical access technology for triple play services such as video, voice and high-speed Internet, is quite economical. It provides efficient, carrier class transport of Ethernet and TDM, thus facilitating a converged access network that also supports VoIP and IPTV, ensuring economy and quick time-to-market. GPON is based on ITU-T G.984.3 specification.

GPON provides two major benefits. The first is the implementation of the new framing mechanism called the Generic Framing Method (GEM) which allows both Ethernet and TDM traffic on a GPON link. The second benefit is the increased uplink and downlink. Unlike other systems, GPON moves performance into the gigabit range. The G.984 specification defines GPON downlink speeds of rather 1.25 or 2.5 Gbit and uplink speeds of 155 Mbit, 622 Mbit, 1.25 Gbit, or 2.5 Gbit, which are a quantum leap over the existing BPON systems.

Companies such as BroadLight, Optical Solutions and FlexLight Networks have developed GPON systems. The GPON solution from FlexLight complies with the ITU-T GPON standards G.984.1, G.984.2 and G984.3. BroadLight’s E2E GPON solution offers ICs and PON software that affords economy and efficiency. With the greater efficiency of the products under the specification, GPON is likely to fulfill expectations and become the most bandwidth-efficient protocol that operates at gigabit and higher data rates.