FTTx Networks

Modern fibre networks to the end customers are no longer Utopian fantasies. This topic will be actually instrumentalized for the German Politics. So the invest in fibre networks will be increasing in the next years. As long as live transmission and channel hopping are focus topics, video broadcasting for future UHD and 4K TV will be required. From IP perspective this will be a huge step because of capacity reasons. Enormous TV data capacities have to be delivered. In this context RF Video Overlay (Broadcasting) could be a trendsetting solution.

The change of infrastructure

As we know, the copper based networks have nearly reached the edge of their life time. When we look back in history, the first coaxial or twisted pair networks were built in the 60‘s or 70‘s and many of them are still in use. Since operators fear the cost of re-building the last mile connecting the customer, many access networks are still based on telephone wires or coax cable, which were installed something like 30 to 40 years ago. In many countries the fibre installation has already reached 100 % of the last mile. This is due to the fact, that most of them build the fibre in an aerial installation, which is the cheapest and fastest method to bring high performance internet and broadcasting to the customers. In countries where underground installation is applied and this is the required method to lay the cables or ducts, the cost for replacing the old copper based networks and providing a new pure fibre infrastructure (most likely with Mini-Ducts) is still under discussion. Once the tube or Mini-Duct pipes are installed, the providers are using this fibre infrastructure with big success. One doesn‘t need to be a fortune teller to predict that the fibre infrastructure will be the final network topology for any provider in the world, no matter there is underground or aerial installation. It is just a matter of time and of competition between the network providers to speed up this scenario.

Unlimited bandwidth capacity

Unlike Coax or Twisted Pair Access Networks, fibre networks provide the huge benefit to have a nearly unlimited bandwidth capacity and do not require any active equipment (like every 300 m using a coaxial amplifier). Selecting a pure fibre access technology and calculating the energy saving aspect, the investment in building the complete fibre based access network can be compensated with the saving in electrical energy over the lifetime of the fibre network. Of course energy cost will be a main factor in the future, and with the fibre infrastructure the provider will have the huge benefit of a “zero energy network” from the last active point in the field towards the final customer.

Products for every application scenario

With devices from ASTRO, the customer gets the very best and most reliable technology with a cost efficient price/performance ratio. The complete optical product portfolio will enable ASTRO’s customers to get the different optical solutions from one stop shop.

Complete solutions for IP Head-end & Optical Fibre Networks

Optical transmission technology

How does the outstanding signal quality of your ASTRO head-end find its way to your customers? To achieve this, a mature transmission technology is required, offering best link performance at a great price/performance ratio. These characteristics are combined in optical transmission technology from ASTRO. Besides direct and external modulated transmitters – building the gateway between the high frequency world and optical transmission technology – we also offer convenient optical amplifiers for bridging large distances or enabling high splitting factors. Located at the subscribers in your FTTX network, you will also need optical nodes. ASTRO offers a wide range of devices for different operation purposes: exclusively for CATV reception, with or without data services, or with WDM filter for extracting data in G(E)PON networks. You will also find passive components for connecting devices and fibres in our catalogue. Just have a look.