How many beam splitters can be placed in a FTTH
Traditional GPON networks often employ 1:32 or 1:64 splits, while XGS-PON allows higher ratios such as 1:128. However, higher splits reduce the power margin and limit reach, so engineers must carefully calculate the optical budget. It all begins with selecting the right optical splitter: The two main types are PLC (Planar Lightwave Circuit) splitters and FBT (Fused Biconical Taper) splitters. By dividing a single optical signal from a central Optical Line Terminal (OLT) into multiple outputs for Optical Network Terminals (ONTs) at users' homes, splitters eliminate the need for dedicated fibers to each residence—slashing infrastructure costs while scaling network reach. This paper provides an overview of two fundamental FTTH architecture categories—centralized and cascaded—that determines where in the network the fiber is split. Optical splitters play an instrumental role in the Passive Optical Network (PON), enabling a single PON interface to be shared amongst multiple subscribers.
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