Fiber-to-the-room: a key technology for F5G and beyond

Abstract

Fiber-to-the-room (FTTR) has been proposed as a promising fifth-generation fixed network (F5G) technology for high-quality home networking. Recently, multiple global and regional standardization organizations, e.g., the International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, and the China Communications Standards Association, have started projects on FTTR. The development of FTTR is in the early stages, and many innovative technologies have emerged. Two essential features of FTTR have been widely recognized. One is the further extension of the operations, administration, and maintenance capabilities of the passive optical network (PON) down to every room, which lays the foundation for collaborative networking of the PON and FTTR. The other is centralized fiber–Wi-Fi integrated networking, which provides telecom-quality Wi-Fi experience and premium home broadband connectivity. This paper reviews the current progress on FTTR. Several experiments that demonstrate FTTR’s two essential features for the first time are presented, providing critical references for future technical developments. Future trends and perspectives of FTTR are also discussed.