What's FTTb, FTTh, FTTR

April 24, 2025

1. FTTB (Fiber to the Building)

Definition: Fiber is extended to a building's telecom room or basement, but the final connection to individual users is via copper cables (Ethernet/VDSL) or WiFi.

Use Case:
Common in apartment complexes, offices, and multi-dwelling units (MDUs).
ISPs deploy fiber to the building's distribution point, then use existing copper wiring for last-meter connectivity.

Pros:

Lower cost than FTTH (since fiber doesn't go to every room).
Faster deployment in dense urban areas.

Cons:

Limited bandwidth compared to full FTTH (due to copper bottleneck).
Higher latency than pure fiber.

2. FTTH (Fiber to the Home)

Definition: Fiber runs directly to each home or apartment, terminating at an optical network terminal (ONT) inside the residence.

Used in residential broadband, IPTV, and high-speed internet.
Common in new housing developments and modern ISPs.

Pros:

Ultra-high speeds (1Gbps-10Gbps+).
Low latency, future-proof for 5G/8K/VR.
More reliable than copper-based networks.

Cons:

Higher deployment cost (requires fiber to every unit).
Labor-intensive installation in old buildings.

3. FTTR (Fiber to the Room)

Definition: Fiber is extended not just to the home but to every room, replacing traditional Ethernet/WiFi backhaul.

Use Case:
Used in smart homes, enterprises, and high-bandwidth applications.
Requires an optical modem in each room (e.g., Huawei's FTTR solution).

Pros:

Gigabit+ speeds in every room (no WiFi dead zones).
Future-proof for 8K streaming, cloud gaming, and IoT.
More stable than WiFi mesh networks.

Cons:

Very expensive (fiber wiring inside walls).
Requires professional installation.