High-density passive fiber-to-the-home networks

A feasible evolutionary path for FTTH passive access networks (PON) is evaluated, proposing a set of technical solutions that can potentially and remarkably reduce the individual cost, per user and per Mbps. Advanced FTTH access networks, based on new transmission concepts and advanced subsystems, are proposed and analyzed, being characterized by a higher density of users served per feeder fiber, extended distance reach to the metropolitan area, bidirectional single fiber, centralized control, guaranteed bandwidth per user of tens/hundreds of Mbps, passive protection and, above all, low cost potentiality. With this aim, some novel devices like remote optical amplification in the passive network, hybrid WDM-TDM multiplexing, reflective ONU, bidirectional single fiber transmission, direct FSK/IM laser modulation and fast widely tunable lasers among others, are implemented.