January 28, 2025
By Chuck Harris
Product Marketing Advisor, Ciena
As PON adoption grows, the importance of having a range of Optical Networking Units (ONUs) is even more critical to serve the diverse set of use cases operators are facing. Ciena’s Chuck Harris explores the expanding portfolio of ONUs Ciena has to offer to address the needs of today.
Passive optical networking (PON) has emerged as the technology of choice to deliver broadband service over fiber access networks to both residential and business customers. The optical network unit (ONU), also referred to as an optical networking terminal (ONT), is a vital component in the PON network, and the choice of ONU is often dependent on the use case. Some are better suited for residential use while others are better suited for business. This is because ONUs can support a variety of port types (e.g., data or voice), as well as a variety of speeds (e.g.,10Mb/s to 10Gb/s), protocols, and services.
More use cases mean more choice is needed – and as a key provider of PON networking solutions, Ciena continues to expand our ONU portfolio to meet the growing demand and range of use cases found in the market.
Curious which option is best for you? Let’s meet our ONU family.
Ciena’s ONU Family – an expanded offering
To ensure optimal performance, different ONUs are designed to cater to different customer needs. It is important that a family of ONUs be made available that can provide the functionality required.
Ciena’s family of ONUs has grown to support a broad range of use cases. This expanded family plays a critical role as part of Ciena’s overall broadband solution to deliver high value broadband services to end users.
Figure 1: Ciena Broadband Access Solution
Get to know the family members
Ciena has a wide selection of ONUs including multiport units with support for routing, voice, and Wi-Fi. The following provides a brief overview of the entire family including the recent additions of the 3803, 3803-PSE, and 3804.
3801 Optical Network Unit
The 3801 XGS-PON desktop ONU is an excellent choice for residential or SME/SMB customers.
It offers a single RJ-45 Ethernet port on the user side, capable of supporting several speeds, and operates in bridge mode giving end users the freedom to choose their preferred in-building router or Wi-Fi device.
Like all Ciena ONUs, it supports the ONU management control interface (OMCI), enabling it to be managed in-band over XGS-PON via Ciena’s routers (39xx, 51xx, 81xx) outfitted with a micro-optical line terminal (uOLT) plug and serving as the OLT.
For more detailed information, please refer to the 3801 datasheet.
3802 Optical Network Unit
Ciena’s 3802 XGS-PON desktop ONU with its 10GbE client-side port is purpose-built for SMB and SME with low-cost access in mind. It can be ordered to support a single SFP/SFP+ 10 GbE or a 1/2.5/5/10 GbE RJ-45 client-side port.
Like the 3801, this ONU operates in bridge mode and supports OMCI.
For more information, please refer to the datasheet.
3803 Optical Networking Unit
The 3803 is a highly versatile XGS-PON ONU. Its multiport support and the ability to run in either bridge or gateway mode make it an ideal fit for several use cases including residential, MDU, SOHO, SMB/SME.
With an integrated analog terminal adaptor (ATA), it is capable of supporting voice service which is a key requirement for government funded programs.
As noted on the 3803 datasheet, when operating in gateway mode, it offers support for key features such as routing, firewall filtering, NAT, DHCP, traffic shaping, and more.
3803-PSE Optical Networking Unit
The 3803-PSE ONU is a power-over-Ethernet (PoE) power-sourcing equipment (PSE) multi-port ONU and is an ideal choice for MDUs and enterprises, especially government offices and buildings in the hospitality industry.
PoE carries networking data and power over the same Ethernet cable allowing businesses to power other devices such as IP cameras, VoIP phones, lighting, security systems, wireless access points, and more without the need for power outlets at every endpoint.
It supports multiple Ethernet ports as well as support for voice. Like the 3803, it can run in bridge or gateway mode, has an integrated ATA and supports several important features including routing, firewall filtering, NAT, DHCP, traffic shaping and others (see 3803-PSE datasheet).
3804 Optical Networking Unit
The 3804 is a Wi-Fi 6 capable multi-port XGS-PON optical network unit (ONU) with an integrated ATA, voice support, multiple Ethernet ports, and is purpose built to meet the connectivity requirements of residential, SOHO, and SMB/SME locations.
By packing all this functionality into a small footprint (including integrated Wi-Fi and router), it removes the need for multiple devices on the premises, allowing end users to save on both cost and space. This highly popular solution is sought after for its diverse range of port types and support for 5GHz and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. Additionally, it can be run in bridge or gateway mode.
Refer to the 3804 datasheet for further details.
3806 XGS-PON Optical Networking Unit
Designed to withstand harsh outdoor conditions, the 3806 is ideal for SOHOs and residential deployments where its weatherproof and ruggedized design are suitable for external installations. It is designed to be mounted in a third-party enclosure and can operate at an extended temperature range (-40°C to +65°C). The 3806 is a PoE PD that can be passively powered by a cost-effective PoE injector.
On the user side it has a single RJ-45 Ethernet port capable a variety of speeds and like the 3801 and 3802 it can operate in bridge mode allowing the user or operator to select the in-building router or Wi-Fi device of their choice.
For additional information, see the 3806 datasheet.
Shaping the future of broadband with Ciena
Ciena’s growing ONU portfolio represents a pivotal step forward for service providers seeking to deliver unparalleled connectivity and value to their customers. The ONU family will continue to grow with several other units coming in the near future. By blending advanced technology with practical design, these ONUs empower providers to stay competitive, meet burgeoning demand, and enhance operational efficiency.
Ciena’s overall broadband solution has the flexibility to help operators create a broadband network that meets today’s demands while laying a foundation for the future. For a deeper dive into this solution, including the ONU family, visit Ciena’s interactive demonstration.
Figure 2: See the interactive demo of broadband in action
Contact us today to get in touch with our experts to explore the benefits of our advanced broadband solution, extensive family of ONUs, and see how we can help you build a path to better broadband.