Fiber to the Home runs optical fiber directly to residences. It replaces copper telephone lines and coaxial cable. Fiber carries data as light. It offers much higher speeds and lower latency. FTTH is the gold standard of broadband access. It is also expensive to deploy.

FTTH comes in different architectures. Active Ethernet uses dedicated fiber to each home. Passive optical networks share a single fiber with splitters. PON is cheaper and more common. GPON and XGS-PON are standards for different speeds. Installation requires digging trenches or stringing fiber on poles.

FTTH benefits

• High speed: symmetrical gigabit or more
• Low latency: ideal for gaming and video calls
• Future-proof: can upgrade by changing equipment
• Reliable: immune to electromagnetic interference
• Low maintenance: no copper corrosion

FTTH is not available everywhere. Rural areas are expensive to connect. Some countries have national broadband plans. Others rely on private investment. The digital divide is a fiber divide. Those with fiber have options. Those without are stuck with slower connections.