The relentless growth of high bandwidth applications is driving continued innovation in broadband access networks. Fiber-based passive optical network (PON) technologies, such as GPON and XG(S)-PON, have become the predominant broadband access methods globally due to their speed, reliability, efficiency and scalability. However, delivering on the promise of multi-gigabit services requires enhancing the home network gateway.
For fiber-to-the-home deployments, the subscriber is connected by an ONU (optical network unit). This terminates the fiber optic line and provides user-facing access interfaces and capabilities. Legacy GPON ONUs support up to 2.5Gbps downstream and 1.25Gbps upstream speeds, along with key functions like:
Gigabit Ethernet ports
802.11ac WiFi
CATV overlay for traditional TV
Battery backup
While GPON ONUs have served users well, the onslaught of bandwidth-hungry emerging apps is drivingadoption of next-gen PON technologies like XG(S)-PON. XG-PON boosts downstream speed to 10Gbps and upstream speed to 2.5Gbps. The emerging XGS-PON standard further increases the downstream rate to 10Gbps.
To truly deliver multi-gigabit speeds, the ONU must be upgraded as well. Leading vendors like Huawei offer advanced ONUs designed specifically for these new PON technologies.
Key features of XG(S)-PON ONUs include:
10G class optics
10G Ethernet port
802.11ax WiFi 6
xpon onu ont with 2.4g 5 g wifi concurrent dual-band WiFi
VoIP, CATV and USB ports
Sleek, compact industrial design
The upgraded 10G Ethernet port, along with the jump from 802.11ac to 802.11ax WiFi, are critical to unleash the full potential of the multi-gig PON bandwidth. The dual-band concurrent WiFi also improves coverage for homes with many connected devices.
Some models feature dual 10G ports to enable specific high-bandwidth applications:
Smart home automation
Multi-room video streaming
VR gaming
High-capacity NAS
XGS-PON ONUs with built-in 802.11ax wave 2 WiFi 6 support 160MHz channel bandwidth and 1024-QAM for faster speed. The uplink/downlink OFDMA and increased spatial streams (8x8) boost capacity for busy networks.
To ensure reliable connectivity, most new ONUs provide dual-band mesh WiFi for robust coverage across larger homes. They also integrate cybersecurity features like hacker attack prevention, DoS protection, and parental controls.
In summary, advanced ONUs like XGS-PON WiFi 6 gateways are critical to capitalize on the next generation of hyper-broadband infrastructure. With their cutting-edge interfaces and capabilities, they will reliably deliver blazing multi-gigabit services to bandwidth hungry homes and businesses worldwide.