XGS-PON - a future-proof investment

The fiber networking technology standard, XGS-PON, makes it possible for network operators to get more value from their infrastructure by adding more end-users to the same line, while also offering higher internet speeds. This enables your network – and business – to meet the increasing demands from end-users in years to come.

Fiber rollouts are accelerating throughout Europe, and more and more homes are being  connected to achieve the benefits of stable, high-speed fiber internet. The existing networks are strained to keep up with end-users’ demands, putting the current technology standard under pressure meaning many face a need to expand or upgrade to meet the needs of tomorrow.

Today, G-PON is the dominant network technology standard, but within a few years, this technology will no longer be sufficient. Instead, XGS-PON will take over and provide a more efficient utilization of existing lines in combination with higher internet speeds.

— XGS-PON is gaining a steady foothold. A few years ago, many operators couldn’t see the positive ROI of this technology, but now that has changed. Within the next decade, most will phase out G-PON and XGS-PON is next in line, says Kim E. Jørgensen, Chief Technology Officer at Icotera.

XGS-PON is the newest mature standard for passive optical networks, and just like any other technological leap, it comes with a range of benefits.

— Today, end-users consume more bandwidth than ever before, because of many in-home Wi-Fi- and heavy streaming activities. Their need for high-performing internet will only increase, and at some point G-PON will reach its limit of capacity. With XGS-PON, you’ll be able to deliver higher speeds and meet the expectations of end-users in the long run. This, among others, makes XGS-PON a future-proof investment, explains Kim E. Jørgensen and adds:

— XGS-PON adds four times as much speed to existing lines, and this allows the network operators to offer a better solution with higher speeds, while also getting the ability to connect more users to existing equipment and thereby improve their ROI in the long run.

A fiber collaboration

Some countries have been deploying G-PON for years, and they have a well established fiber infrastructure.  Others haven’t started rollouts until recently, with XGS-PON being the leading solution but because of the two generations of technologies being able to run side by side, both first movers and newcomers get the benefits.

— The XGS-PON standard can co-exist with G-PON. This means that the existing fiber infrastructure does not need a fitting to accommodate the higher volume, but is already able to supply the higher speeds that will exceed one gigabit, says Kim E. Jørgensen.

And not only is XGS-PON providing faster speeds than ever before, it also adds a long-term perspective to the solution, as it improves installations with an expected lifespan for up to ten years which secures a very positive ROI.

— Five years ago, the conversion to XGS-PON would have been four-to-six times more expensive than today. Now, we’ve reached a level suitable for most budgets. Together with the fact that it is a future-proof investment for your business, XGS-PON is definitely a must-consider solution for most network operators, Kim E. Jørgensen concludes.