Application Notes - UTSI-NJTCGEPON Fiber Deployment Application Note

Revision 1.2
September 10th, 2007

GEPON Fiber Deployment Application Note

Revision 1.0

UT Starcom Inc.
New Jersey Technical Center,
33, Wood Avenue South,
Iselin, NJ, 08830

Introduction

UTStarcoms BBS Series of Optical Line Terminals (OLT) provides a direct optical interface to
the Ethernet/IP network core. Together with UTStarcoms Optical Network Unit (ONU), it
completes the end-to-end optical last mile with up to 1 Gbps of bandwidth to residential and
business customers. Combining the economic benefits of Ethernet Passive Optical Network
(GEPON) with built-in L2/L3 switching and routing functionalities, the BBS is an optimal
transport platform for bandwidth-intensive triple play services.
2

Scope

This document provides considerations for fiber deployments in a GEPON Network. It

outlines the different components of a GEPON network, the optical budget associated with
them and the various testing considerations for the components being deployed.
It is intended to help with pre installation optical network planning and testing for GEPON
networks. It can also be used for post installation physical network related maintenance. It
is assumed that the user of this document has access to an Optical time domain reflecto
meter (OTDR) to carry out the various measurements described here.

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Audience

This documented is intended for UTStarcom GEPON customers, Sales engineering and field
support engineers.

GEPON Network Planning

GEPON Network Planning consists of identifying the following:

1. Total Optical Link budget verification
2. Optical Link characterization
3. Splitter and Splice Characterization
4. End to End loss and Back-reflection Testing
5. OTL/ONU Power On
4.1

Total optical loss budget

First step is to calculate the total optical loss budget and verify that it is within the loss
budget of the UTStarcom PON being deployed.
4.1.1 UTStarcom PON budget

OLT TX Power
OLT RX Sensitivity
ONU TX Power
ONU RX Sensitivity

Range

Worst Case

+2 to +7dBm

3.5dBm

-30dBm

-30dBm

-1 to +3 dBm

-1 dBm

-25.5 dBm

-25.5 dBm

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Receiver
Saturation
-10 dBm

-3 dBm

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4.1.2 Typical Network components optical power budget

Network Components
Item Description

Attenuation

Units

Notes

1. Fiber Optic cable @ 1310 nm

0.33

db/km

G.652C fibers, such as SMF-28e

@ 1490 nm

0.21

db/km

G.652C fibers, such as SMF-28e

@ 1550 nm

0.19

db/km

G.652C fibers, such as SMF-28e

Insertion
Loss
2. Fiber splice

0.1

db

3. SC connector

0.4

db

4. 1x2 splitter

3.5

db

Typical value, please confirm with vendor

5. 1x4 splitter

7.4

db

Typical value, please confirm with vendor

6. 1x8 splitter

11

db

Typical value, please confirm with vendor

7. 1x16 splitter

14.3

db

Typical value, please confirm with vendor

8. 1x32

17.8

db

Typical value, please confirm with vendor

9. Downstream Path Penalty

1.5

db

db

10. Upstream Path Penalty

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Splice Losses should be below 0.1dB

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GEPON Fiber Deployment Application Note

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Figure 1 gives a typical GEPON installation identifying the various components and the
considerations for optical power budget

OLT

EDFA / WDM
Mux

Legend:

ODF

Fiber
Optic
Cable

Fiber
Optic
Cable

1:16
Splitter

NAP

SC connector

1:4
Splitter

Fiber splice

LCP

Optical
junction
box
ONU
Telephone

Subs
premise

Total link loss

budget
Link

Characterization
Splitter & Splice

Characterization

End to End Loss and Back-reflection

Figure 1

4.2

Optical Link Characterization

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In this step Fiber loss and attenuation should be measured to ensure that it meets the
specifications. This should be measured from OLT to Splitter and from Splitter to ONU before
splicing. This should be done for each wavelength (1310nm, 1490nm and 1550nm) as the
loss varies with the wavelength and is higher for higher wavelength.
This measurement enables us to identify any potential problem in the fiber deployment like
macro-bends. Macro-bends will cause extra signal loss. It may be cause by several factors
including tight tie wraps or sharp bend angles.
4.3

Splitter and splicing loss and back-reflection characterization

This should be done after splicing to ensure that splitter meets the specifications.

4.4

Back-reflection of coupler ports should be 35 dB or better, as per ITU-T G.983.1

End to End loss and Back-reflection Testing and Characterization

This is done between OLT end and the ONU end, bidirectional and for all three wavelengths
(1310,1490 and 1550nm). One should ensure that the end to end loss is within the optical
power budget of UTStarcom PON equipment as indicated above. Please note that The total
loss should be less then the total optical power budget but more then the receiver
saturation threshold as identifies in Table 1. This test will verify that:

4.5

Back-reflection measurement is OK: Telcordia sets an objective of -40 dB, but this
assumes that all components are newly installed and that all of them respect the
latest Telcordia recommendations. Generally speaking though, a value in the -30 to
-35 dB range is sufficient. Values less than -30 dB should trigger corrective action.
Splice losses should be below 0.1 dB

OTL/ONU Power On

The last step is to verify the OLT power received at the ONU end ot verify that it is greater
then the receiver sensitivity and less then the saturation threshold.

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Below is a sample calculation for the GEPON network identified above. It assumed the worst
case Scenario for OLT and Transmit power.

LINK LOSS Calculations

EDFARO

OLTONU

ONUOLT

forward

Down

Up

1550
Input Power

1490

1310

nm

NA

NA

dbm

Transmit Power

29

3.5

-1

dbm

Receiver Sensitivity

-9

-30

-25.5

dbm

Range

38

29

29

db

db

db

1.65

db

Cable Loss
Feeder (C.O. - LCP)

Km.
0

Wavelength

Attenuation ( db/km) G.652C

fibers, such as SMF-28e

1310

0.33

1490

0.21

1550
Dist. ( LCP-NAP-Drop)

Km.
5

Wavelength

0.19

Attenuation ( db/km)

1310

0.33

1490

0.21

1550

0.19

1.05

db

0.95

Connector
Pair Loss
#

Insertion Loss (db)

C.O. (OLT-ODF)

0.4

0.4

0.4

0.4

db

LCP

0.4

db

NAP

0.4

db

EDFA / WDM Mux

0.4

0.8

0.8

0.8

db

Subs premise

0.4

0.4

0.4

0.4

db

0.1

db

0.6

0.6

db

Splice Loss
#

Loss (db)

10
Overlay+Mux
WDM MUX

0.6

0.6

Power Split

1x8

11

11

db

Splitter Loss
Location

#
1

LCP & NAP

1

Type

Splitter Loss (db)

1x2

3.5

db

1x4

7.4

7.4

7.4

7.4

db

1x8

11

db

1x16

14.3

14.3

14.3

14.3

db

1x32

17.8

db

Allowance for Hydrogen Aging

Power Penalties
LINK LOSS: down / upstream

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db
1

db

37.85

26.95

27.55

db

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GEPON Fiber Deployment Application Note

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RX Signal Power: ONU / OLT

System Margin: donw / up

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-34.85

-23.45

-28.55

db

0.15

2.05

1.45

db

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GEPON Fiber Deployment Application Note

4.6

Revision 1.0

UTStarcom best practices

Here is a list of best practices complied from our experience with current customer base.
1. It is recommended that customer go through the 5 step process described above as
part of the installation process. These steps would help in network planning and
identifying any potential problem up front thus reducing costly maintenance later on.
2. It is recommended that customers use splitters verified by us. In case third party
equipment it is important to verify that they fall within the optical budget.
3. It is recommended that only UTStarcom supplied GEPON SFP be used. No other SFPs
are recommended at this time.
4. Common Mistakes to avoid:
a. Failure to do proper power budget calculation. Budgeting with no or very less
margins can cause random problems that are difficult and costly to pinpoint
and fix post installation.
b. Sharp Fiber bends: Fiber bends increase losses. These losses increase with
the wavelength. Fiber should not be bent beyond its bent radius. This is
around 30mm for PON case. Thus care should be taken to prevent bends,
especially at the access points (Connectors/splitters).
c. Micro-bends: Micro bends are cause by too tight cable ties and add to optical
power loss. Simple solution like using Velcro can alleviate this problem.
5. We recommend the following instruments for this installation planning and check.
These equipments are also available for rent by major optical fiber companies like
corning (http://www.corningcablesystems.com/web/corp/engserv.nsf/ehtml/eqrent )
a. OTDR
b. Variable F/b Digital attenuator
c. Fiber cleaning kit.
d. Power Meter
4.7

Illustration of Splitter wiring

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Following example shows undesirable fiber bend at the splitter and possible solution for
the same.

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Potential
Sharp Bend
due to entry
and exist

Splitter

Input with backup

Page1

2
1
1

44

2
1
1
Page 2
Input to this level
Pass Through
Pass Through
44
Pass Through

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