How is a fiber optic network built?

Traditional communication networks are based on simulated data and implemented with copper cables. However, with the rapid progress of technology, the transmission rate of the network must be increased accordingly. Today, copper cables are gradually being replaced by modern optical fibers.

How has fiber access evolved? How will the fiber network connect to the existing copper cable network? What new technologies can be realized in fiber optic networks?

1. How does fiber access evolve? What does FTTx stand for?

In most cases, the optical network is set up by the network operator from the local switching equipment to the user terminal. There are different application models for fiber access, which we collectively call FFTx.

Figure 1: Forms of FTTx: FTTC, FTTB, and FTTH

FTTx includes the following expansion phases:

FTTC (Fiber to the Curb)

FTTB (Fiber to the Building)

FTTH (Fiber to the Home)

What does FTTC stand for?

FTTC is a term used to describe the extension of optical fiber to the curb, where the optical fiber ends up in the telecom handover box. After that the signal travels through copper cables to the end user. This is also known as a hybrid network. The advantage is that, since the copper cable is much shorter, it can transmit more bandwidth and support more telecom users.

What does FTTB stand for?

Here, the fiber ends up in the building. From this point on, the existing copper cables in the building can continue to be used, and because the fiber is closer to the end user, the network bandwidth and capacity can be effectively increased.

What does FTTH stand for?

With FTTH, the fiber line goes directly to the end user to realize the full fiber of the access network. It can provide access to various narrowband and broadband telecommunications services for many home users.

2. How does the fiber network connect to the existing copper network?

In the first part, the expansion stages of optical fiber network are studied in detail. Depending on the stage of expansion, the fiber is connected to a portion of the existing copper cable or transmitted directly to the apartment via a modem.

What is a multifunctional telecommunications handover box?

Optical cable handover box is mainly used for optical cable access network trunk optical cable and distribution cable junction of the interface equipment. This shortens the distance from less capable copper cable networks to customers and allows higher bandwidth to be transmitted.

The device that connects the optical cable to the continuous copper cable is a so-called optical network unit (ONU) located in a multifunctional junction box. Here, the signal is converted from an optical signal to an electrical signal and uploaded to the user over an existing copper wire.