As defined, quadruple play is a package of video, voice, high-speed Internet, and wireless services. Triple play package includes everything mentioned above but without the wireless services. These packages are the most demanded by the customers. That is the main motivation for the service providers to develop and spread FTTx architecture. Technologies like BPON, GPON, and EPON are providing both triple and quadruple packages which explains their popularity. In future however, it would be an Internet connection used for voice and video in IPTV and VoIP form as seen from Figure 1.

 

 

Figure 1. Triple play over an IP-oriented PON.

 

The PON is having great benefit for future IP services providing enough bandwidth for all three services. Also, we should not forget lower costs in installation, operation, and maintenance. Main money-savior is the reduced amount of transmission equipment and fiber, since one feeder line can be shared by tens of subscribers.

 

Category	Services	Requirements
Data	High-speed InternetPrivate linesFrame relay ATM	Medium bandwidthVariable latencyLow or moderate losses
Voice	Plain old telephone serviceVoIP	Low bandwidthLow latencyLow loss
Video	Digital broadcast videoAnalog broadcast videoHDTV Video on demand Interactive TV TV pay per view Video blog	High BandwidthMedium latencyVery low loss

 

In the “old” design with analog TV, signal is being converted to an optical form by the optical video transmitter and converted back by the set-top box located on the customers premises. The public switch telephone network is entering PON through the class 5 switch. While sharing the same feeder line It might use subscribers existing twisted pair cable for distribution over the premises. The Internet is using IP router and 10/100 BaseT Ethernet cable for entering the PON and distribution, respectively.