The main types of FTTx technologies: how they differ from one another

What does FTTx mean?

FTTx stands for «Fibre To The x» — «fibre to …». The letter «x» here is a variable that denotes the point in the network where the optical cable ends, before the signal continues via another transmission medium — such as copper cable, Ethernet cabling or a radio link.

It is just like a branched water supply network: there is a main pipe, and there are sections where the water flows into a pipe of smaller diameter closer to a specific flat. Both sections are part of the same system; they simply fulfil different roles. It is exactly the same with fibre optics: the abbreviation FTTx does not indicate a «quality level», but rather a specific point in the network architecture where the fibre-optic cable ends its section.

Types of FTTx

FTTH — fibre reaches the home

FTTH (Fibre To The Home) — this network architecture involves running a fibre-optic cable directly to the subscriber’s flat or house, with the entire signal path from the provider to the end device travelling via fibre, without switching to any other transmission medium. In this case, the optical terminal is located directly within the property — it is that little box with a socket to which the router is connected.

A technical detail that is often overlooked is that power cannot be transmitted via fibre-optic cable, so the equipment on the subscriber’s side (the terminal itself) requires a separate connection to a mains socket. Because of this, and also due to the cost of laying cable to each individual flat, FTTH is more commonly used in new-build developments — where the fibre optic cabling can be installed whilst the building is still under construction.

Key features of FTTH:

• With point-to-point technology, bandwidth is not shared amongst neighbours — each flat has its own dedicated fibre-optic line. Where FTTH is implemented using GPON, subscribers are connected to a shared fibre-optic pole via a passive splitter, and the bandwidth of this line is shared amongst them.
• Connection stability is not affected by the distance to the provider’s exchange within a typical town or city.
• Scaling potential for future speed increases: there is no need to replace the fibre; it is sufficient to upgrade the equipment at both ends of the line.
• A single physical infrastructure is capable of simultaneously providing Internet, Telephony and Video surveillance services.

FTTB — fibre reaches the building, then Ethernet

FTTB (Fibre To The Building) — in this network architecture, the fibre-optic cable reaches the building and terminates in a distribution cabinet or panel, usually on the technical floor or in the basement. From the panel, a network cable (Ethernet) is then run to each flat. This is a common architecture for multi-storey buildings: a single fibre-optic line serves the entire building, whilst the distribution between flats takes place within the in-building network.

Together with FTTH, this architecture is often grouped under the broader term FTTP (Fibre To The Premises): the common feature here is that the fibre reaches the boundaries of the building, regardless of whether it is a private house, a block of flats, an office or an educational establishment.

Key features of FTTB:

• There is no need to run a separate fibre-optic cable to each flat — this significantly simplifies and speeds up the connection of new buildings.
• Lower deployment costs compared to running fibre-optic cables to each individual flat.
• A single fibre-optic line per building can easily serve dozens or even hundreds of subscribers simultaneously.
• Easy upgrading: replacing the active equipment in the distribution cabinet instantly upgrades the speed for the whole building.

FTTN — fibre reaches the local node

FTTN (Fibre To The Node) — in this configuration, the fibre-optic cable terminates at a central node located near a group of homes or businesses. From the connection node, the connection is routed via existing copper or coaxial cable infrastructure. A single such node is capable of serving several hundred subscribers at once, whilst the distance to the end points is limited: the longer the section of non-fibre cable, the poorer the signal quality.

Key features of FTTN:

• It allows existing copper or coaxial cabling in homes to be utilised, without the need to completely replace the infrastructure.
• A single node serves a large number of subscribers across a wide area simultaneously.
• It is a cost-effective way of providing coverage in areas where laying fibre-optic cables to every home is not yet viable.

FTTC — fibre reaches the street cabinet

FTTC (Fibre To The Curb) is an architecture very similar in concept to FTTN, with the difference that it serves fewer subscribers per point, and the non-fibre section of the cable is usually shorter. The name has historically become established because of the distribution cabinet or equipment rack, which is placed closer to a group of houses — «curb» here refers specifically to this point, rather than a literal kerb. It is an intermediate option between a full fibre connection into a building and one that terminates at the neighbourhood level.

Key features of FTTC:

• A shorter length of copper cable compared with FTTN — the fibre is brought closer to the subscriber.
• An intermediate step that allows the fibre to be gradually brought closer to subscribers without the need for a one-off, large-scale network upgrade.

FTTA — fibre reaches the antenna

FTTA (Fibre To The Antenna) stands somewhat apart from the other technologies on this list, as it does not relate directly to home Internet. Here, a fibre-optic cable connects the baseband unit (BBU) to the remote radio unit (RRH) directly next to the antenna on a mobile phone mast.

This architecture has become particularly relevant with the development of 5G networks: Massive MIMO technology requires a significantly larger number of antennas and cable connections on a single tower, whilst fibre-optic cable is lighter than coaxial cable and offers less resistance to wind, which simplifies installation at height. Thanks to the fibre-optic connection, the BBU can also be positioned further away from the antenna itself than would be possible with coaxial cable.

Key features of FTTA:

• The lighter weight of the cable reduces the load on the tower structure and simplifies installation at height.
• Lower wind resistance compared to coaxial cable.
• Allows base station equipment to be located further away from the antenna.
• Supports a significantly higher number of simultaneous connections, which is critical for dense antenna deployment in 5G networks.

Comparison table: architectural differences

To make it easier for you to compare all the network architectures discussed, we have summarised the key differences in a single table.

How to find out what type of connection you have

The simplest way is to check your contract with your provider or ask their customer support. A rough guide: if you have a separate fibre terminal in your flat (a small device with a fibre-optic cable connector), it is most likely FTTH. If, on the other hand, the Internet connection enters your flat via a standard network cable (as used for a standard router), it is most likely FTTB.

Maxnet is building its network primarily using FTTB technology based on GPON – a modern passive optical standard that ensures consistently high speeds even when several residents in the building are actively using the Internet at the same time. This strikes a practical balance between connection quality and the speed at which new homes can be connected to the network — without having to wait years for fibre to be laid to every individual flat.

If you’re unsure which connection is available at your address, you can check coverage and current tariffs by contacting our customer support team.