RFoG

Introduction

RFoG (RF over Glass) is a technology built for the CATV industry to allow a full set of HFC features to be provided over a passive optical network. RFoG brings the benefits of an all fiber network to the MSO by eliminating all field electronics and using a small ONU to convert the signals back to traditional COAX facilities at the end user's location. All of the electronics in a customer's home remain in place, and the service activation, and operations for the MSO are identical to the traditional HFC portions of the network.

Titan Photonics produces equipment optimized to support the RFoG network designs, as well as traditional HFC networks. RFoG has been standardized by the SCTE and Titan products may be optioned to support any standard configuration.

Benefits of RFoG

RFoG networks provide a trouble free, robust transport capability that greatly reduces the maintenance efforts necessary for HFC networks

1. Simple Low Maintenance Networks
   There is no COAX or powering requirements in the field. RFoG is an all optical network for delivering standard HFC content to a home or business. No amplifiers or repeaters are used in the outside plant
2. GREAT Signal Quality
   Unlike COAX distribution networks, optical networks have very little power loss and very little affect on the optical signals. High quality, long distance facilities can be deployed without the need for careful engineering, or yearly checkups to insure the plant is performing correctly. RF signals arrive at customer locations with little distortion so customers enjoy very high quality video and data services.
3. Low Noise
   Noise in the network degrades the signal and causes bad video quality or and lost data. Optical networks are almost immune to ingress noise, making them ideal for deployment in areas with high EMF energy, such as high voltage power lines.
   
   Noise can also be picked up inside a customer's location and fed into the optical network. It adds up from many customers on the network and the content can be lost. RFoG resolves this issue by using a burst mode mechanism whereby the return path is activated only when there is a signal is sent. Noise will only impact a specific transmission. With only a single source of noise the return path in an RFoG network is robust and rarely causes data errors.

Titan Solutions

Titan Photonics has developed a set of cost effective network equipment optimized for use in the RFoG networks. Titan's SRT systems utilize many of the RFoG network designs and also can deliver far greater performance.

• NanoNodes (Titans RFoG ONU) can be ordered to allow it to service any SCTE standard configuration. They are also available in a high powered version that supports 64 customers on a single RFoG network fiber strand.
• Transmitters and EDFAs have been optimized to support the higher power levels needed in the RFoG network, as well as being designed to accept internal options, such as WDMs and splitters unique to RFoG networks
• Return Path Receivers very high sensitivity and very low noise optical detectors needed to insure RFoG return path integrity