FTTC vs FTTH vs FTTB vs FTTP: What is the Difference?

When choosing the right fiber-optic connection, it’s important to understand the types of fiber-optic systems. This guide covers the differences between these systems. Before we learn about FTTC vs FTTH vs FTTB vs FTTP, let’s understand the terminology and their use cases.

What is FTTX?

FTTX stands for “Fiber to the X”. The X represents various types of infrastructure for high-speed internet (broadband). It’s often called Fiber in the loop.

FTTX mainly connects to two groups: FTTH/FTTB/FTTP (Home, Building, Premises) or the second ground, FTTC/N (Cabinet or Node).

What is FTTC?

FTTC stands for Fiber to the Cabinet. A cabinet is a distribution point near a home, building, or premises. It’s usually located within 300 meters of the home, but the distance may change depending on the scenario.

Sometimes, the last stretch (to the home or building) uses copper cable due to the lack of a full-fiber connection.

What is FTTH?

FTTH stands for Fiber to the Home. As the name suggests, a fiber optic connection is delivered directly to your home, ensuring high-speed internet.

FTTH is the best option available for households looking for high-speed internet. It’s highly recommended for streaming, downloading, uploading, and other similar usage.

What is FTTB?

FTTB stands for Fiber to the Building. The fiber cable delivers high-speed internet to the building’s basement or a specific room.

From there on, the internet is delivered to all the flats using Ethernet or coaxial cables. Compared to FTTH, FTTP gives a little less speed due to the last stretch of cables.

What is FTTP?

FTTP stands for Fiber to the Premises. It’s 100% fiber cables and provides the highest speed compared to all. Unlike others, it’s not just limited to residential.

FTTP is used for commercial and residential properties. It is the solution for anyone looking for an ultra-fast internet connection.

FTTC vs FTTH vs FTTB vs FTTP: What is the Difference?

Let’s quickly glance at FTTC vs FTTH vs FTTB vs FTTP.

Feature	FTTC	FTTH	FTTB	FTTP
Fiber Endpoint	Near the curb or cabinet	Inside the home	At the building’s entry	At the premises
Last Mile	Copper wires	Pure fiber	Internal building wiring	Pure fiber
Internet Speed	Moderate	Ultra-fast	High	Ultra-fast
Reliability	Medium	Excellent	High	Excellent
Cost	Low to moderate	High	Medium	High
Best For	Budget users	Heavy internet users	Apartment buildings	Premium connectivity

FTTC vs FTTH: What is the Difference?

The difference between FTTC and FTTH is pretty simple. The FTTC connection has an endpoint (a cabinet or a curb) usually located near the home. Multiple connections are stretched through the Cabinet to deliver internet across various homes. So, the last-mile connection to the modem is an optical cable.

FTTH is a direct connection to the home where the last mile connection is also fiber optic. The 100% fiber connection is for the full-speed internet.

When a new telecom service enters a city, it wishes to expand in multiple locations and cover the entire city. So, FTTC helps them cover more areas faster. Further, FTTH costs a lot more than FTTC. As a result, people who don’t use the internet much prefer FTTC over FTTH.

So, clearly, FTTC vs FTTH has a huge difference. However, that’s not the case with FTTH vs FTTB.

FTTH vs FTTB: What is the Difference?

In general, FTTH has a true fiber optic connection till the end (home of the user). In contrast, FTTB has a fiber connection only to the basement or utility room of the building. Depending on the setup, in some cases, FTTB may also have a full fiber connection till the last mile.

However, for most cases, FTTB only has a fiber connection until the building endpoint. From there, the connection is stretched using coaxial cable or others.

For apartments, FTTB is the preferred option, whereas people living in a house prefer FTTC or FTTH, depending on their budget. If you like high-speed internet, FTTH is clearly the option. But what about FTTP? Let’s understand FTTH vs. FTTP.

FTTH vs FTTP: What is the Difference?

As we have already noted, both FTTH and FTTP have high speeds. However, due to the configuration, FTTP has a much higher speed. For commercial properties, FTTP is the only option for high-speed internet. Remember, while FTTH is only for residential properties, the latter option is for both.

Even home users who want a premium option prefer the Fiber to the Premises option. The bandwidth allocation and SLA for FTTP are much higher than those for homes.

For regular residential users, FTTH is preferable unless you want to go with the premium services.

Which one to choose: FTTC, FTTH, FTTB, or FTTP?

FTTC is used for the Cabinet from where the connection is stretched to the other locations. As the cables used in the end are not necessarily Fiber, you may experience speed issues. The same goes with FTTB. However, FTTB is only limited to a building.

On the other hand, an FTTH connection goes directly to your home, giving the best internet speed. FTTP is the premium option, with high-speed internet available for residential and commercial use.

So, the answer depends on your needs.

Here’s a quick comparison of all these.

• FTTC vs FTTH: FTTH is better, but FTTC is more affordable.
• FTTH vs FTTB: Depending on the availability, FTTH is faster while FTTB is affordable.
• FTTH vs FTTP: For most residential users, FTTH is preferable.
• FTTC vs FTTB: FTTC is for society, while FTTB is for buildings. 

FAQs

Q: What is the most reliable type of fiber connection?

A: The most reliable fiber connection is FTTP.

Q: Can you have pure Fiber for FTTB?

Yes, it’s possible to have a pure fiber connection for FTTB. However, it will depend on the setup and telecom operator.

Q: Are FTTC and FTTH available everywhere?

FTTC is widely available everywhere. However, FTTH connection depends on the location and telecom operator.

Conclusion

To conclude, all these fiber connections have different uses. Location and property type are significant factors that help you choose the right connection. For instance, if the telecom operator is new, they may not provide an FTTH connection for all the users. In that case, FTTC is the option. It’s best to contact the telecom operator for the exact details.

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