The upstream and downstream in GPON refers to the direction of data transmission in a Gigabit Passive Optical Network. Upstream refers to the data flowing from the user to the service provider, while downstream refers to the data flowing from the service provider to. Intel offers a range of technology options for the service provider and on- premises equipment to enable fiber to the home Meet escalating broadband demand with fiber optic communications RefeRence ARchitectuRe Service Providers Smart and Connected Home Optical Splitter OLT ONU ONU What You'll Find. A PON system utilizes a passive optical splitter that takes one input and splits it to "broadcast" signals downstream to many users. Upstream, the passive splitter acts as. A passive optical network (PON) is a fiber-optic telecommunications network that uses only unpowered devices to carry signals, as opposed to electronic equipment. In practice, PONs are typically used for the last mile between Internet service providers (ISP) and their customers. Your computer uploads data anytime you send an email or post a picture to Facebook or a server using FTP. 25 Gbps upstream at the physical layer.