Node PON™

Global demand for the Internet continues to feed the Internet revolution with ever new ways to collaborate, share media, and profit. Practical examples today include gaming and video distribution from YouTube, Apple^® and Amazon. When driven by market forces to increase access bandwidth, the cable operator's standard solutions have frequently included plant upgrade and node segmentation. Today another option available to the is to drop fiber from the closest node to the subscriber and utilize Aurora's Node PON solution to deliver massive amounts of bandwidth to the end subscriber.

The GE4132M Node PON module can be installed in any of several optical node platforms available from Aurora and further leverages the many benefits of these platforms by allowing delivery of up to 1000 Mbps on a targeted basis to customers where needed. The Node PON module can be included in the configuration of an optical node for one of several architectures, including HFC, Fiber Deep, RFPON, or "5G Node™." From the perspective of those concerned with back office operations such as service provisioning and billing integration, the Node PON CPE units at individual customer premises are handled in the same way as standard DOCSIS^® cable modems. As a pioneer in fiber deep architecture, digital return with built-in node monitoring and embedded Ethernet, Aurora's development of Node PON for cable is a natural step in extending cable's bandwidth lead against other access providers.

As noted, Aurora's Gigabit Ethernet GE4132M Node PON Module is an OLT module for optical node platforms that is compatible with HFC, Fiber Deep, RFPON, and 5G Node architectures. In the case of HFC and Fiber Deep architectures, the Node PON simply functions as an overlay on top of the coax plant to deliver, on a targeted basis, bandwidth when and where it is needed. In the case of an RFPON architecture, both RFoG and Node PON services are delivered to the home over a single fiber. Finally, in the case of a 5G Node configuration, a node service area comprised of 256 homes passed receives standard 1 GHz forward video and 4 Gbps of symmetric bandwidth for data services.

Interior of a 5G Node™

Click on diagram to enlarge

From a high bandwidth usage subscriber's perspective, the Node PON CPE is similar to a cable modem with a fiber interface and RJ-45 interface delivering up to 1000 Mbps symmetric bandwidth depending on the services purchased. Set-top boxes as well as MTA will continue to work as before in the case of HFC, Fiber Deep and RFPON architectures, while IP set-top boxes as well as VoIP phones are supported by all architectures.

At the headend or hub, an Ethernet switch with optical interfaces is used to concentrate the backhaul Ethernet signals from the various Node PON equipped nodes in the cable plant. Service provisioning of the guaranteed bandwidth as well as maximum burst bandwidth is compatible with the DOCSIS provisioning standard use by most cable operators. Billing system and service assurance programs for most operators will also support the Node PON solution transparently.

Ever increasing demand for access bandwidth is accompanied by increased competition to serve a seemingly insatiable market appetite for more speed. Cable operators are arguably in the best position to service this residential access market because it has the most pervasive node distribution network with practically no bandwidth limits between the headend and node. By pushing Ethernet out to the node and utilizing Node PON technology, cable operators are able to deliver up to 1000 Mbps symmetric access bandwidth with Aurora's first generation Node PON module — and can look forward to up to 10,000 Mbps in the next generation.

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