FTTHFTTP

FTTH and FTTP define fiber-based connectivity to a customer’s premises. FTTH (Fiber to the Home) specifically refers to fiber ending at the residence, with the customer’s interior network connected via Ethernet. FTTP (Fiber to the Premises) is a broader term that covers any fiber termination inside a customer building, including homes and business premises; FTTH is the typical form for residential service.

In practice, the fiber line runs from a central office or data center to a demarcation point at or near the building. A terminal device located at the premises—an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) or Optical Network Unit (ONU)—terminates the fiber and provides customer-facing interfaces such as Ethernet or GPON optics. There are two main architectures: passive optical network (PON), where a single fiber is split to multiple homes, and active Ethernet, where a dedicated fiber goes to each premise. Common PON standards include GPON (ITU-T G.984) and newer NG-PON2/XGS-PON offering higher aggregate speeds; 10 Gbps or more per user is possible in modern deployments.

Deployment considerations include higher upfront costs for fiber trenching, splicing, and equipment, but running fiber to the premises offers high bandwidth, low latency, and future scalability compared to copper-based access networks. FTTH/FTTP is a central component of ultra-broadband initiatives in many regions and is often prioritized in new housing projects.

Limitations and challenges include geographic and regulatory constraints, maintenance of rights of way, and the need for customer-installed equipment; reliability is high but depends on power in the ONT and network health.