TECHNICAL
GPON Interoperability GPON interoperability is a broad topic involving OLT host OEMs and ONT or ONU. ITU G.984, or GPON, was developed be a standards-based technology to ensure that service providers had the choice of suppliers for GPON OLT and ONTs. A GPON standard held the promise that any GPON-compliant ONT would be interoperable with any GPON-compliant OLT OEM platform. In reality most OLT hardware and ONT hardware are built compliant with GPON optical and electrical standards. However, the software each OEM may use for managing the platforms may be radically different, thus causing interoperability issues. GPON’s primary management protocol that regulates interoperability between OLT and the ONT, ITU G.984.4 or OMCI, operates on Layer 2. This protocol has responsibility for messaging between the OLT and ONT within the GPON stack. Sadly, each OEM’s software stack interfaces with OMCI differently and this is where interoperability becomes an issue with GPON.
A Choice Luckily, service providers at least have a choice for GPON and for next generation PON technologies like 10G-EPON, XG- PON, XGS-PON, and NG-PON2. Third- party optics operate at layer one, out of the way of the higher layer management protocol squabbles of OEMs. OEMs do not manufacture their own transceivers. Thus, service providers can rest assured that third-party optics are also equal, if not better quality, as OEM transceivers. Third party transceivers often ship from the same factories as those supplied by OEMs. Third-party PON transceivers from suppliers like ProLabs have a lifetime warranty, OEMs typically only warranty transceivers for five years or less.
www.prolabs.com
MARCH 2025 Volume 47 No.1
93
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