FTTdp

FTTdp, or fiber to the distribution point, is a broadband access architecture in which fiber optic cables are extended to a distribution point near the end user, such as a street cabinet or a building basement, and the final connection to individual premises is carried over existing copper or other last‑mile links. By bringing fiber closer to the customer, FTTdp aims to provide higher data rates and better performance than traditional fiber to the node (FTTN) deployments while avoiding a full fiber run to every premises.

In a typical FTTdp deployment, an optical termination point at the distribution point houses the central equipment, and the last mile to each user uses VDSL2, vectoring, or G.fast over copper pairs or other short links. The distribution point aggregates multiple subscribers and serves as the proximity boundary between the fiber network and the copper last mile.

Advantages of FTTdp include higher potential speeds, often in the hundreds of megabits per second and sometimes approaching gigabit-class performance depending on copper length and technology, and improved spectral efficiency due to shorter copper loops. It can be deployed more quickly and with lower upfront fiber penetration than FTTH in some urban settings, while preserving the option to upgrade to full fiber later.

Challenges involve the need for additional distribution points, power and cooling for equipment, space and maintenance requirements, regulatory and rights‑of‑way considerations, and the complexity of managing copper-based last mile technologies. Performance remains sensitive to copper quality and loop length, and deployment decisions depend on cost-benefit analyses.

See also FTTx, FTTN, FTTH, G.fast, VDSL2.