Uneven splitters, sometimes also referred to as tap splitters or unbalanced splitters, distribute an optical signal into multiple outputs with varying power levels. The splitters are labelled with their power ratio such as 90/10 or 70/30. By dividing a single optical signal from a central Optical Line Terminal (OLT) into multiple outputs for Optical Network Terminals (ONTs) at users' homes, splitters eliminate the need for dedicated fibers to each residence—slashing infrastructure costs while scaling network reach. You may be confused about how Even Splitting and Uneven Splitting differ—or which one to choose for your network. However, in the ODN architecture of PON networks such as GPON and XG (S)-PON, balanced splitting often requires more optical fiber cores, increasing. The real design trade-offs lie in how you split the optical signals, where you locate the splitters, and the ratio you choose for subscriber sharing. In most cases, the power out of each leg is equal, but we'll discuss a version where the power coming out is unequal amongst legs. Bandwidth is shared amongst customers in a PON, and the bandwidth received by a customer is not.
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