Reading through hardware specs, digging for scarce info on websites, and browsing tech forums for ISPs, I kept second-guessing myself: which tech should I actually use for my network? Honestly, every option has its pros and cons. For GEPON, the big plus was that it’s based on Ethernet protocols. It’s pretty much an extension of standard LAN hardware lines, which, in theory, should make it cheaper. GPON is different because it handles various types of data—like ATM cells, Ethernet frames, and TDM—all packed into GEM frames. To send Ethernet traffic, the hardware has to chop up the packets into frames first and then piece them back together on the receiving end. This puts a heavier load on the hardware doing the heavy lifting, which ultimately drives up the price. Though to be fair, lately that price gap hasn't been all that big.
But GPON still has a couple more things going for it. First off, downstream bandwidth is bumped up to 2.5 Gbps, while GEPON gives you an equal 1.25 Gbps both ways. Second, there's physical layer bandwidth efficiency. GPON hits about 93%, while its competitor sits around 68-72%. This means that out of a gigabit, you only get about 850-900 Mbps of real data, with the rest swallowed up by overhead. Third, most GEPON user devices only come with FastEthernet ports, and just a few support gigabit speeds. In the opposite camp, pretty much every device is packed with gigabit ports, which gives you bragging rights to market an imaginary edge over other ISPs :). On top of all that, in most polls people seem to vote for GPON—not sure why, honestly.
Price-wise, we went for the most budget-friendly option. Like I said, we didn't really feel like dropping big money on an unfamiliar technology. Among the budget solutions, we settled on Dasan Networks, a South Korean hardware manufacturer. The gear is already bought—we got an OLT and a few 2-port and 4-port ONUs.
This article is a translation of the original Russian-language post.My journey of learning GPON But GPON still has a couple more things going for it. First off, downstream bandwidth is bumped up to 2.5 Gbps, while GEPON gives you an equal 1.25 Gbps both ways. Second, there's physical layer bandwidth efficiency. GPON hits about 93%, while its competitor sits around 68-72%. This means that out of a gigabit, you only get about 850-900 Mbps of real data, with the rest swallowed up by overhead. Third, most GEPON user devices only come with FastEthernet ports, and just a few support gigabit speeds. In the opposite camp, pretty much every device is packed with gigabit ports, which gives you bragging rights to market an imaginary edge over other ISPs :). On top of all that, in most polls people seem to vote for GPON—not sure why, honestly.
Price-wise, we went for the most budget-friendly option. Like I said, we didn't really feel like dropping big money on an unfamiliar technology. Among the budget solutions, we settled on Dasan Networks, a South Korean hardware manufacturer. The gear is already bought—we got an OLT and a few 2-port and 4-port ONUs.