One GPON port can connect to up to 128 GPON ONUs, and one EPON port can connect to up to 64 EPON ONUs. An 8-port OLT may suffice for a multi-dwelling unit (MDU) or small ISP, while a 16-port model supports larger residential communities or enterprise campuses. In fiber optic networks, especially in FTTx deployments, the number of Optical Network Units (ONUs) that a single PON port on an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) can support directly affects network planning, cost-efficiency, and service scalability. EPON is also the foundation for cable operators' business services as part of the DOCSIS Provisioning of EPON (DPoE) specifications. If a 1:64 fiber splitter is used, then one EPON port can connect to. The EPON OLT is the operator-side brain of a passive FTTH network: it manages up to 128 subscribers per PON port, in point-to-multipoint mode. ISPs must calculate the required number of PON ports according to subscriber growth plans.
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