PON

Passive Optical Networking

Objective

At the end of the course, you’ll be able to …

understand how fibers work, and explain which components are used in an
optical relay system

• internal reflection, transmitter, amplifier, receiver, splitter, …

explain the basic properties of a passive optical network

describe the functions of the components present in a PON based network

correctly use basic PON terminology

Table of Contents

1. Optical fiber fundamentals

2. GPON fundamentals
3. PON standardisation

3
1 Optical Fiber Fundamentals

4
Advantages of fiber

Extremely high bandwidth

Smaller-diameter, lighter-weight cables

Lack of crosstalk between parallel fibers

Immunity to inductive interference

High-quality transmission

Low installation and operating costs

No Interference

Large capacity
5
Optical fiber structure

Core
• thin glass center of the fiber where the light travels

Cladding
• outer optical material surrounding the core that reflects the light back into
the core

Coating
• plastic coating that protects the fiber from damage and moisture

6
Optical fiber classification

glass
• glass core – glass cladding

• lowest attenuation

• most widely used

plastic
• plastic core – plastic cladding

• highest attenuation

• pioneered for use in automotive industry

plastic-clad silica
• glass core – plastic cladding

• intermediate attenuation

7
Optical fiber types

G.651 – MMF – Multi-mode fiber

• large(r) core: 50-62.5 microns in diameter
• transmit infrared light (wavelength = 850 to 1,300 nm)
• light-emitting diodes

G.652 – SMF – Single mode fiber

• small core: 8-10 microns in diameter
• transmit laser light (wavelength = 1,200 to 1,600 nm)
• laser diodes

245 um 125 um 8 – 62.5 um

Cladding Coating
Core

8
Total internal reflection

Concept
• light travels through the core constantly bouncing from the cladding

Distance
• a light wave can travel great distances because the cladding does not
absorb light from the core

Signal degradation
• mostly due to impurities in the glass

cladding

acceptance
cone
core

9
Hit me baby one more time

Atoms have a core with circling electrons

o What happens when a light photon bumps into an electron ?

Electron is disturbed but falls back onto

it’s original level : energy is released
into a certain direction
= scattering

ray of light

Electron is disturbed and reaches a

higher energy level : energy is lost
= absorption

10
The world of wavelengths

Light is transported as a wave.

o The length of the wave determines the type of light (infrared, ultraviolet, …)

11
 Attenuation as function of wavelength

0,85 µ 1,30 µ 1,55 µ

2.0 band band band
1.8
1.6
Attenuation (dB/Km)

1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8
Wavelength (microns)

12
Fiber optic relay system

Optical transmitter
• produces and encodes the light signal

Optical amplifier
• may be necessary to boost the light signal (for long distances)

Optical receiver
• receives and decodes the light signal

Optical fiber
• conducts the light signals over a distance

Tx Amplifier Rx
Electrical Optical Optical Electrical

13
Transceiver

Definition:
• a transmitter and a receiver
in a single housing

Practical implementation:
• transceivers typically come as SFP

• Small-Form-factor Pluggable unit

Tx

Rx

14
Lightwave modulation

Digital
• light intensity does change in an on/off fashion

• NRZ - non return to zero

0 - weak optical signal
1 - strong optical signal

Analog
• light intensity changes continuously

15
Fiber interconnections

permanent joint

SPLICE

0.3 dB 0.3 dB

0.1 dB 0.1 dB 0.1 dB 0.1 dB 0.1 dB

Terminal A Terminal B

CONNECTOR

demountable joint

Interconnect fibers in a low-loss manner

• is a permanent bond needed ? – splice !

• is an easily demountable connection desired ? – connector !

16
Joining fibers – Fiber alignment

bad alignment good alignment

• cores are not centered • cores are centered

• big power loss • small power loss

17
Joining fibers – Fiber orientation

straight physical contact angular physical contact

• lots of back reflection • some back reflection

• (big) return loss • (small) return loss

18
Joining fibers – Connectors

Properties
• good alignment/correct orientation
• present at the termination point of the fiber
• always introduce some loss

Connector types
Theoretical loss:
• amount of mating cycles
0.3 dB
• LC, FC, SC, …

Color code
• APC – green
• PC – blue

Shouldn’t be mixed

19
Connectors - Couplers

SC/UPC SC/APC ST/APC

Couplers

20
Joining fibers – Splices

Fusion splicer
Mechanical splicing
• aligning and orienting the fibers,

• then clamp the fibers in place

Fusion splicing
• aligning and orienting the fibers,

• then fuse (melt) the fibers Theoretical loss:

• using an electric arc 0.1 dB

typical case used to enclose

fiber optic splices in an
outside plant environment
21
Optical power splitters

Optical splitters …
• typically divide an optical signal …
from a single input
into multiple (e.g. two) identical output signals
• and generally provide
a small optical loss
to the signal passed through it

λ1
λ2 λ1
λ3 λ2
λ1
λ3

3.5 dB
insertion loss

22
Optical wavelength splitters

Wavelength Division Multiplexing …

• enables the combining of …
o multiple wavelengths
o into one single fiber

Depending on the design, an optical wavelength splitter …

• typically provides …
o a small to medium loss
o to the signals passed through it

λ1
λ1
λ2

λ2

0.3 dB loss
insertion loss
23
PON benefits

purely passive fiber plant

• low maintenance costs and high reliability

shares feeder fiber over multiple users

• less fibers needed, less ports needed at CO

fiber is virtually not limiting the bandwidth

• much higher bandwidth x distance than copper networks

fiber’s bandwidth can be further exploited by WDM or equipment

upgrade
• installed fiber infrastructure is future-proof

PON offers bundled services over a single fiber

• triple play – voice / data / video

24
PON deployment scenarios – FTTx

FTTEx FTTCab FTTC FTTH/B

ONU
ADSL ( < 6 KM ) XNT
< 8 Mbit/s
Central Office
OLT ONU
ADSL/VDSL ( < 1 KM ) XNT
< 26 Mbit/s

Network
ONU
VDSL ( < 300 M )

XNT
< 52 Mbit/s

ONT

25
2 GPON fundamentals

26
 Two Basic FTTH technologies

Point-to-Point Customer Premises

Equipment (CPE)

Receive

(P2P)

Aggregation
Transmit
x4
1:1
Point-to-Multi-Point used in GPON Optical Network
Terminal (ONT)

Upstream Splitter

1310
(P2MP)
Optical Line
Terminal (OLT) 1490
Downstream

LESS SPACE, LESS FIBRES, LESS DUCT SIZE 1:64 to 1:128 Subscribers

27
Definition - Feeders, Distribution, Drops

POP Feeders Distribution Drops

(primary) (secondary)

Access Point

Active
Active
28 Passive
PON properties

PON – Passive Optical Network

• passive components
o splitters + WDM-device
• star topology
No Equipment No Power
o p2mp – point to multipoint

Ranging distance
• 60 km maximum logical reach PON
• 20 km differential distance

Split-ratio
• Minimum 64 subscribers (or more)

29
PON lambdas

Voice and data over a single fiber

• two wavelengths in opposite directions

Video
• one wavelength in downstream direction

P-OLT Data path

Splitters
1490 nm 2500 Mb/s

1310 nm 1250 Mb/s

Video path
1550 nm
V-OLT
Line rate flexibility

30
Splitter - Types

Type 1: FBT Type 2: PLC

FBT – Fused Biconic Taper PLC – Planar Lightwave Circuit

-Two fibers fused to create a split
- Typical fusion of 2, 3 or 4 fibres
- Splits in cascade
- Built into glass waveguides
- Solid state
- No mechanical parts
- Compact
-Splits: 1x4, 1x8, 1x16, 1x32
-Splits: 2x4, 2x8, etc

31
Splitters – Example

SPLICED CONNECTORISED

-- Cheap -- Flexible
-- Maintenance free -- Patch cords included
-- Skilled technician -- Easy to replace

3M 3M

Available in various splice Available with factory

trays and terminals terminated pigtails

32
Optical power budget

Distance depends on loss in different components:

loss in splitters
• cascaded splitter can be used
e.g. 1:4 splitter followed by 1:8 splitter or vice versa

• so a one-step 1:32 splitter can be used

loss in WDM coupler

loss per km fiber

loss in connectors PON

loss in splices

33
Splitter – Optical Budget

Example:
Splitter 1 x 8
3.5dB Output
3.5dB
Optical Splitters Loss [dB]
Fiber
3.5dB
Splitter 1 x 64 20.1
Input
Fiber Splitter 1 x 32 17.4

Splitter 1 x 16 13.8

Splitter 1 x 8 10.5

Splitter 1 x 4 7.0

34
Data transceiver specifications (class B+)

P (dBm) P (dBm)

+5.0

Downstream budget:
+1.5 1490 nm
path penalty: 0.5 dB +1.5 – (-27) – (0.5) = 28 dB
-8.0

Tx level 0.30 dB/km

-27.0 Rx level

P (dBm)
P (dBm)
Tx level
Rx level +5.0
0.42 dB/km
Upstream budget:
path penalty: 0.5 dB +0.5
+0.5 – (-28) – (0.5) = 28 dB
-8.0 1310 nm

-28.0

35
Optical power budget – Data

Example:
• budget: 28 dB
• 16 way splitter loss: 13.8 dB (theoretical. 12dB)
• connector+splicing loss: 3 dB (24*0.1 dB + 2*0.3 dB)
• aging: 1 dB
• attenuation:
o 0.30 dB/km – downstream
o 0.42 dB/km – upstream

Distance:
• (28 – 13.8 – 3 – 1) / 0.42 = 10.2 / 0.42 = 24.28 km

Interpretation:
• for a 1:16 split, the max distance of an ONT is 24 km

36
Data transceiver specifications (class C+)

P (dBm) P (dBm)

+7.0

Downstream budget:
+3.0 1490 nm
path penalty: 1 dB (*) +3 – (-30) – (1) = 32 dB
-8.0

Tx level 0.30 dB/km

-30.0 Rx level
(**)

P (dBm)
P (dBm)
Tx level
Rx level +5.0
0.42 dB/km
Upstream budget:
path penalty: 0.5 dB +0.5
+0.5 – (-32) – (0.5) = 32 dB
-12.0 1310 nm

-32.0

(*) Accounts for DS dispersion effects up

to 60km reach
(**) ONT sensitivity in C+ mode with FEC

37
Video transceiver specifications

P (dBm) P (dBm)

+18.5

Downstream budget:
1550 nm
+18.5 – (-4.9) = 23.4 dB

Tx level -4.9 Rx level

38
Optical power budget – Video

Example:
• budget: 23.4 dB
• 16 way splitter loss: 13.8 dB (theoretical. 12dB)
• connector+splicing loss: 3 dB (24*0.1 dB + 2*0.3 dB)
• aging: 1 dB
• attenuation:
o 0.25 dB/km - downstream

Distance:

• (23.4 – 13.8 – 3 – 1)/0.25 = 22.4 km

Interpretation:

• for a 1:16 split, the max distance of an ONT is 22.4 km

39
Maximum range per splitter - configuration

splitting best worst

case case
ITU-T G.984
Standard 1 : 64 14 km 10 km
B+ Laser 21 km
1 : 32 21 km 15 km
14 km 1:64 1:32
1 : 16 30 km 23 km
1:16
Eric 1:8 38 km 30 km

1:2 1:8

1:4

30 km

38 km

40
GPON protocol layers and formats

GEM – GPON Encapsulation Method

• Ethernet + TDM

ATM – Asynchronous Transfer Mode

[AAL2] + Ethernet + TDM POTS/VF

VG

ONT
OLT optical (TDM/TDMA)

BAS
[AAL5] + Ethernet Ethernet

41
Data Transmission : DOWNSTREAM

Standardized by ITU-T in G.984.x recommendation

Communication between P-OLT and ONT

?
Downstream : broadcast traffic – use encryption for security (AES)

42
Data Transmission : UPSTREAM

ONTs are located at different distances from Central Office

Upstream : same wavelength + same fiber

– Use Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)

How ?
– Distance OLT – ONT has to be measured
– Timeslots are allocated according to distance
– ONTs only send upstream according to granted timeslot

43
Distance ranging – Why?

20 km

20 km

15 km

deliberately putting equalization delay in

for the purpose of avoiding collisions
44
Distance ranging explained

t1
? distance


? = (t2 – t1-Ot)/2 

Ot  Assume this is 75 µs

Cfiber = 200.000 km/s

t2

time ?= 15km 
45
GPON frame format

ATM-segment (option) GEM-segment

downstream frame – 125 us

ONU1 ONU2 ONU3 ONU4 ONU5

upstream frame – 125 us

PCB ATM-cell GEM-packet

46
DOWNSTREAM : Continuous mode operation

downstream frame

Tx Rx

continuous mode Tx continuous mode Rx

Downstream – there’s always a signal

• even when there’s no user data to pass through

• except when the laser is administratively turned of

47
GPON frame format – Downstream

ATM-segment (option) GEM-segment

Physical Control Block

Psynch Ident PLOAMd BIP PLend PLend US BW Map

4 bytes 4 bytes 13 bytes 4 bytes 4 bytes N*8 bytes

1 byte

48
GPON frame format – Downstream (cont.)

Physical Control Block

N*8 bytes

Psynch Ident PLOAMd BIP PLend PLend US BW Map

AllocID Flag SStart SStop CRC … AllocID … CRC

12 bits 12 bits 2 bytes 2 bytes 1 byte

Entry for ONT#1 Entry for ONT#N

49
GPON frame format – Downstream (cont.)

3 entries

US BW Map

ONT1 slot 75 slot 240 ONT2 slot 280 slot 400 ONT3 slot 430 slot 550

AllocID Start Stop AllocID Start Stop AllocID Start Stop

upstream packet timing

guard time guard time

slot times: 75 240 280 400 430 550 time

50
UPSTREAM : Burst mode operation

upstream frame

Rx Tx

burst mode Rx burst mode Tx

Upstream – there’s only a signal when an ONT needs to send

• when no ONT has info to send, there’s no light on the fiber at all

• between 2 consecutive bursts, a guard time is needed: 26 ns

51
GPON frame format – Upstream

ONU1 ONU2 ONU3 ONU4 ONU5

Header Payload

PLOu PLOAMu DBRu

Physical Physical Dynamic

layer layer bandwidth
overhead OAM report

52
GEM encapsulation

GEM = GPON Encapsulation Method

TDM

GEM header

payload
PLI PortID PTI CRC payload
L bytes

12 bits 12 bits 3 bits 13 bits L bytes

Type/
MACDA MACSA Ethernet Payload FCS
GEM allows for Length

• point-to-point emulation

• payload fragmentation (efficiency)

GEM allows native TDM transport

• E1/T1, E3/T3 raw format

53
3 PON standardization

54
 ITU-T standards for GPON

G.984.1 – GPON service requirements

• specifies line rate configurations and service capabilities

G.984.2 – GPON physical medium

• specifies transceiver characteristics
per line rate and per ODN class
including burst overhead for each upstream line rate

G.984.3 – GPON transmission convergence

• specifies transmission convergence protocol, physical layer OAM, ranging
mechanism

G.984.4 – GPON ONT management control interface

• based on OMCI for BPON, taking GPONs packet mode into account

• phased approach to achieve interop (FSAN)

Alcatel-Lucent was the first GPON supplier to disclose its OMCI implementation details

55
OMCI – ONT Management Control Interface

a method to manage ONTs from the OLT

• this includes configuration, fault and performance management

each ONT and the OLT has it’s own OMCI channel
• bandwidth is allocated at PON creation time

protocol?
• the OMCI protocol

PON

56
ITU-T G.984.x framework

Voice/Data/Video C/M application

…
…

Ethernet G.984.4 OMCI

OMCI PLOAM

G.984.3 GTC
TC adaptation sublayer

Framing sublayer
Embedded OAM

G.984.2 PMD
PON-PHY

G.984.1 General characteristics

57
Redundancy

ITU-T G.984.1 specifies 3 types of redundancy between OLT and ONT

• Type A : spare fiber, no additional LTs or ONTs

• Type B : redundancy to the splitter : redundant LTs and feeder fibers to the
first splitter

• Type C: redundancy through the entire path: redundant LTs, fibers,

splitters, ONTs

** Separate geographical paths required for two feeders to avoid simultaneous fiber cuts **

58
PON Feeder Redundancy

Alcatel-Lucent currently implements partial Type B redundancy (Type B-)

• 1+1 redundant feeder fibers from the LT PON to the optical splitter
• Fiber-only protection: redundant fiber can be used in case the other one
fails
** Separate geographical paths required for two feeders to avoid simultaneous fiber cuts **

• No redundant LTs - no protection against HW & SW failures on the LT

• Reduces LT capacity by 50%

2:N splitter
PON 1

LT
PON 2

protection
59
 www.alcatel-lucent.com
www.alcatel-lucent.com

60
A Considerations

61
Trends towards next generation PON

near future far future

today (5 years from now ?) (10 years from now ??)

time

GPON enhancements WDM-PON

- wavelength blocking filter - TDM PON per wavelength
- optical parameter monitoring - wavelength per customer
- midspan extender box - dynamic wavelength switching
- Class C++ optics - low cost WDM optics
- OTDR integration

Migration GPON  NG-PON on same ODN

- capacity increase by wavelength stacking
- coexistence via electrical modulation multiplexing
- 10G coexistence via WDM overlay

62
Status of ongoing standards activities on NG-PON : FSAN / ITU-T

GPON enhancements

• amendments on wavelength spces : G.984.5 (new)

• optical parameter monitoring : G.984.2 Amnd. 2 (new)

• midspan extender box : G.984.re (draft)

• OTDR integration : input from ALU planned for 2H2008

White Paper on NG-PON migration: due mid 2009

• NGN1: coexistence scenarios

• NGN2: disruptive approaches

Physical layer specs of pure 10G solution are expected to be similar

to 10G-EPON PHY specs (wavelength, ODN loss budget, Tx power, Rx sensitivity)
63
B PON Evolution

64
 Pushing the envelope of PON now
Moving up Capacity, Reach & Split

Capacity
NGA 2
DWDM
OFDM, CDM
2011-2012
Demo Oct 09
NGA 1
XG-PON 1,2
2010 DS: 10G
US: 2.5, 5, 10G

WDM overlay in Will likely require

GPON enhancement band
C+ change in OSP

GPON
B+ GPON
mid-span
extender
GPON
>2010
Lab today
Coexistence

Preservation of OSP
(power splitters)

65
Readiness for Next Generation PON:

It is all about Capacity, Reach & Split

10 Gb/s PON Extended 10 Gb/s PON

1 2010-2011

More 10
bandwidth
for FTTB Gb/s RE

and
backhaul

Increased
2.5 RE
split ratio
Gb/s

More GPON B+ GPON C+ Extended GPON
bandwidth Today 2 2009
3 2009
and
symmetry Reach 20km 30 km 60 km
per Split 32 64 128
subscriber
Less dense areas addressed and central office consolidation

66
Upgrade for 10G GPON Wavelength overlay in both uplink and downlink

WDM to split
GPON from No changes to
10 Gb/s GPON OSP, including
GPON
fiber and splitter GPON

10 Gb/s
10 Gb/s
GPON 10 Gb/s on
different wavelengths GPON
(up and down)

XGPON up GPON up GPON down CATV XGPON down

1260 1290 1480 1550 1575

λ
-1280 -1330 -1500 -1560 -1580
(in nm)

67 | Presentation Title | Month 2008

C G.984.5 overview

68
 ITU-T G.984.5 for co-existence of future PON technologies

Purpose: define wavelength ranges for additional service signal to be

overlaid via WDM

 Reserved bands are referred to as the “enhancement band” (EB)

 Applications for the EB include video and NGA services

 Wavelengths in the EB may be used for downstream as well as upstream
services
Guard band for US Guard band for DS Guard band for DS

UP Reserved DOWN

1260 1280 1300 1320 1340 1360 1380 1400 1420 1440 1460 1480 1500 1520 1540 1560 1580
(1625)

Basic band

Enhancement band Enhancement band

(option 1-1: 1415-1450 nm (option 2: 1530-1580 or 1625 nm
– non-low-waterpeak fibers) (option 3: 1550-1560 nm
(option 1-2: 1400-1450 nm – video distribution)
– low-waterpeak fibers)
69
ITU-T G.984.5 for co-existence of future PON technologies

Wavelength Blocking Filter (WBF) for ONT to minimize effect of interference

signals from NGA wavelengths

 WBF is used to obtain the required isolation outside of the guard band

 G.984.5 specifies the “X/S” tolerance mask, where X= optical power of interference signal at ONT
I/f and S= optical power of Basic Band signal

Guard band for DS Guard band for DS

Basic Band

1440 1460 1480 1500 1520 1540

X/S (dB)

λ3 λ4’ y2 Λ5’ λ6

λ4 y1 λ5

Basic Band

1440 1460 1480 1500 1520 1540

70
ITU-T G.984.5: reference diagram

GPON OLT
NGA ONT

…
Splitter
NGA OLT WDM1 GPON/NGA
GPON/(Video) coupler
(could be replaced by 3:N splitter) GPON ONT
Video-OLT
TX = Optical Transmitter
RX = Optical Receiver WDM WBF RX
V-RX – Video Receiver (NGA) ONT
WBF-V = WBF for blocking the inter- (NGA) TX
ference to V-RX
RX WDM WDM (NGA) = WDM filter in ONT/OLT to
(NGA) combine/isolate wavelengths of (NGA)
TX GPON upstream/downstream (and WBF RX
isolate video signal)
WDM1 = WDM filter (in CO) to WDM (NGA) ONT
WBF-V RX-V + RF video
combine/isolate the wavelengths of (NGA)
(NGA) GPON (and combine the video
signals) TX

71