Verizon: High-tech households driving GPON

Michael Daigle, vice president of network planning at Verizon Communications, sees the multi-user, multi-device home as the major driver for the telco's ongoing deployment of gigabit passive optical networking technology. Verizon now has GPON in about 40 of its 600 central offices, and while the 2.4 Gbps bandwidth is not needed everywhere, the pattern for demand has a lot to do with those larger, high-tech-heavy households, Daigle told Light Reading.

Verizon likely will be increasing its GPON footprint throughout this year as central offices currently supported by broadband PON get converted to GPON. It is not clear how many actual FiOS customers are now served by GPON. Beyond GPON, Verizon is eyeing the possible evolution to WDM-PON, though that could be at least two years away, and Verizon official say the technology and its advantages need to mature further before a commitment is made.

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