The main
advantage that Gigabyte PON has over other connection types is its fiber optic
design. Compared to the more common copper wire, optical fiber transmits
signals as photons instead of electrons – hence the name “optical”.
therefore
does not have the same limitations as traditional twisted pair connections.
As already mentioned, Gigabyte networks are far superior to older and less advanced connection types.
However,GPON is not the only type of passive optical network. The closest is EPON (Ethernet Passive Optical Network).
The two
systems are almost identical in operation in that they transmit data over a
passive fiber optic network and are the global standard for fiber optic
communications, but they differ in some important parameters:
• Speed:
Unlike Gigabyte networks, a EPON network has variable bandwidth available for
upstream and downstream connections, while EPON bandwidth is symmetrical and
fixed at 1 gigabit/s for both upstream and downstream data transfer.
• End-user Costs: Since Gigabyte and Ethernet networks are both based on a fiber optic
framework, the development and deployment costs for both standards are almost
the same. Gigabyte networks, however, require specialized chipsets that are
more expensive to achieve faster speeds. Ethernet networks, on the other hand,
operate using the already established Ethernet protocol, making them cheaper
for end users.
• Quality of
Service (QoS): Quality of Service (QoS) is a protocol that is integrated into
all communication networks to ensure smooth operation. For passive optical
networks, this means adjusting parameters such as bandwidth, latency, jitter,
and error rate to ensure that end users of the network enjoy uninterrupted
connectivity even under high traffic conditions. To solve the high traffic
problem, Ethernet PON vendors implement virtual local area network (VLAN) tags
to improve network capacity. Meanwhile, Gigabyte PON incorporates QoS
technology that makes network issues easier and more cost-effective to manage.
