Beyond gigabit performance with a future-proof optical network terminal

While the demand for high-speed internet is constantly growing, many network operators are struggling – not only to compete for tomorrow's share of the market, but also to deliver on their customer promise today. Contrary to what many may think, the best solution is not to be found in the numerous emerging technologies – it is found in technology already at hand.

There is a growing demand by European consumers for high-speed internet, and new technologies to increase performance are growing equally fast. Gigabit speeds are already here, and the next great leap for broadband is just around the corner, promising speeds of up to ten gigabits per second.

Today, however, the majority of network operators are promising performance of up to one gigabit, and while the industry waits for the new technologies to become more accessible and affordable, network operators are struggling to deliver on their customer promise and to meet the growing demand for speed. At the same time, many have an issue with the "up to" marketing statement. In the past, with 100 Mbit or 500 Mbit performance, for example, the customer offering could be marketed as a guaranteed speed.

Beyond gigabit performance – with today's technologies

When choosing the best fiber architecture, the majority of network operators have invested in point-to-multipoint access architecture – also known as GPON. And the next generation – XGS-PON – is already on its way, delivering high speeds of up to ten gigabits per second – ten times faster than today's network.

But, according to Icotera's chief commercial officer (CCO), Erik Søe-Pedersen, XGS-PON technology is not going to be a profitable business for European network operators just yet.

– With the growing demand for speeds beyond the one Gbit standard performance, network operators are seeking to gain advantage through higher network throughputs. Unfortunately, XGS-PON is currently far more costly than their existing GPON technology due to low volume in the market, explains Søe-Pedersen.

"With the i5900 series we have carved out more performance from the GPON technology at hand and therefore we can deliver end-users up to 2.5 gigabits downstream capacity - This will not only make it possible for network operators to deliver beyond gigabit performance, thus delivering on their customer promise by ensuring that one gigabit is truly one gigabit."
Erik Søe-Pedersen, Chief Commercial Officer at Icotera

To address this challenge, network operators should consider a optical network terminal based on the current GPON technology but which can nonetheless ensure beyond gigabit performance, like Icotera's new i5900 series. The series taps into unexploited potential in the existing technology and removes the limit of one gigabit throughputs. Søe-Pedersen provides more detail:  

– With the i5900 series we have carved out more performance from the technology at hand and therefore we can deliver end-users up to 2.5 gigabits downstream capacity – a significant increase compared to the current maximum line rates of one gigabit. This will not only make it possible for network operators to deliver beyond gigabit performance, thus delivering on their customer promise by ensuring that one gigabit is truly one gigabit, but also to keep their costs at a minimum by utilizing the current GPON technology to its full potential.

Future-proof solution

Higher network throughputs are not the only reason why network operators should keep the future in mind when choosing fiber termination units.

One of the most effective ways for network operators to keep their total cost of ownership low in the long term is by making sure that the Wi-Fi is installed on the side of the optical network terminal (ONT) instead of as an integrated part.

Residential GPON FTTH ONT
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– Icotera's i5900 series is the first part of a two-box solution consisting of an ONT and a Wi-Fi access point, providing network operators with a reliable, future-proof solution. Because the Wi-Fi is not an integrated part of the solution, the network operator will no longer need to replace all the equipment when higher Wi-Fi speeds become the new normal, Jens Bundgaard, Technical Program Manager at Icotera, explains. He adds:

– Instead, the ONT can stay untouched for many years, while the end-user can easily replace the Wi-Fi access point without interfering with the fiber installation. For the network operator, this means significant savings on operational costs and manhours.

Customized pricing model

Besides offering beyond gigabit performance and a flexible two-box solution, the i5900 series enables the network operator to provide tiered wireless offerings.

– With tiered wireless offerings the network operator can offer basic Wi-Fi access with the option to upgrade to higher bandwidth at a later stage, allowing end-users to choose the level of bandwidth that works for them, says Søe-Pedersen.

– There is no doubt that removing the limit of one gigabit throughputs in existing technology is a game-changer. Not only for the many network operators that will now be able to deliver more with less, but also for the end-users who will experience a much improved and more flexible solution, he ends.

Want to know more about the i5900 series - GPON ONT?
Please reach out to Technical Program Manager at Icotera, Jens Bundgaard, at jbu@icotera.com.