What Is OLT ? The Features of OLT

With increasingly advanced and matured technologies in telecommunication network, Fiber to the Home (FTTH) has drawn much more attention of companies specialized in telecommunication nowadays. Generally, the FTTH broadband connections consist of two types of systems, known as Active Optical Networks (AON) and Passive Optical Networks (PON). And most of FTTH deployments are inclined to use a PON due to its low cost and high performance that can help to save a certain amount of money on fiber costs. A Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) system generally contains an optical line terminal (OLT) at the service provider’s central office. As one of the indispensable components of PON, optical line terminal thus plays an essential role in the performance of the whole network connection.

What Is OLT?

An optical line termination (OLT), also called an optical line terminal, is a device which serves as the service provider endpoint of a passive optical network.

The Features of OLT

The OLT sends Ethernet data to the ONU, initiates and controls the ranging process, and records the ranging information. It provides numerous prominent features listed as follows.
A downstream frame processing means for receiving and churning an asynchronous transfer mode cell to generate a downstream frame, and converting a parallel data of the downstream frame into a serial data thereof.
A wavelength division multiplexing means for performing an electro/optical conversion of the serial data of the downstream frame and performing a wavelength division multiplexing thereof.
An upstream frame processing means for extracting data from the wavelength division multiplexing means, searching an overhead field, delineating a slot boundary, and processing a physical layer operations administration and maintenance (PLOAM) cell and a divided slot separately.
A control signal generation means for performing a media access control (MAC) protocol and generating variables and timing signals used for the downstream frame processing means and the upstream frame processing means.
A control means for controlling the downstream frame processing means and the upstream frame processing means by using the variables and the timing signals from the control signal generation means.

Conclusion

The OLT now has been widely adopted in fiber optic network access in counties, towns and villages. It can help efficiently reduce network construction cost, while simultaneously providing a guarantee on high bandwidth and high integration. And it is proved to be an ideal and constructive solution to FTTx projects.