Fibre-to-the-room (FTTR) delivers Gigabit optical capacity directly to each room in a building, providing very high-speed, reliable internet.
FTTR addresses challenges related to restricted speeds within buildings, providing uninterrupted, reliable high-speed internet indoors. It replaces traditional copper cables and Wi-Fi with fibre connected directly to the building access point. This enables seamless connectivity and smart management. The technology supports rates up to 10Gb/s, ideal for large spaces with multiple users requiring low latency and high speeds.
Typically, in-building broadband Wi-Fi connects to a router via an Optical Network Unit (ONU). While a router's 2.4G frequency band can theoretically support 300Mb/s, significant interference can limit performance. Wi-Fi signals in the 5G band struggle to penetrate walls and solid objects. Higher frequency signals, like those used in 5G (especially in the millimetre wave band), have shorter wavelengths. These are more easily absorbed or reflected by solid objects, such as walls, floors, and buildings. Furthermore, Wi-Fi over ethernet often faces interference. Ethernet cables, especially if not well-shielded, can pick up electromagnetic interference from nearby electrical devices, for example. Cables running parallel and close to each other can experience crosstalk, where the signal from one cable interferes with the signal in an adjacent cable.
With FTTR, the main ONU connects upstream using XGSPON or 10G EPON, and a fibre cable links a slave ONU with Gigabit Wi-Fi6 to each room. This ensures uninterrupted fast connections, seamless roaming throughout the building, and smart, flexible connection management. FTTR can branch to multiple spaces via existing conduits or unobtrusive fibre cables along floors, walls, or ceilings, supporting rates up to 10Gb/s. That ensures ample bandwidth for all users and consistent high-speed connections throughout the building.
Finding and resolving connection errors, from any location, becomes faster and easier. Connections can be branched off to multiple rooms via existing conduits and ducts, or simply by running fibre cable along floors, walls, or ceilings. The technology provides excellent commercial opportunities for real estate professionals and ISPs, helping differentiate home broadband and networking offerings. However, FTTR functionalities, topology, and transport technologies differ from existing fibre-based solutions. Design and layout should be customized for each use case, to ensure optimal performance and connectivity.
While eventual widespread adoption will depend on infrastructure investments and market demand, successful trials by companies such as Huawei and Etisalat suggest FTTR could soon become a standard in high-end residential and commercial projects. FTTR technology is poised for commercial availability, particularly in regions with high demand for reliable, high-speed internet.
