GPON vs. XGS-PON: Why Your Fiber is Actually Shared

Fiber feels dedicated, but commercially, it is a shared medium using PON (Passive Optical Network).

1. The Split Ratio (1:32 or 1:64)

From the ISP's OLT to your building, a single strand is split using passive prisms. Standard GPON splits 1:64. The 2.4 Gbps downstream capacity is shared among 64 apartments.

2. Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)

The OLT assigns "time slots" to each modem. Your modem waits for its microsecond turn to speak. If all neighbors download simultaneously, your "Gigabit" fiber will choke.