Connectivity guide

FTTH vs FTTO: what is the practical difference?

FTTH and FTTO both describe fibre connectivity, but the operating context is different. The practical choice should be driven by who uses the connection, where it is installed, how critical it is and what happens if it fails.

FTTH: fibre shaped around the property context

FTTH typically starts with a home, estate or residential development. Discovery should consider the location, property type, number of premises and relevant infrastructure before availability or delivery commitments are made.

FTTO: fibre shaped around business operations

FTTO should consider the number of users, critical applications, current network design, resilience requirements, site constraints and expected growth. The office connection is only one part of the wider workplace environment.

Questions worth answering first

• How many people and devices depend on the connection?
• Which cloud or business services are operationally critical?
• What is the cost or disruption if connectivity fails?
• Is the internal network ready for the intended service?
• Will usage or the number of sites grow?

Where to start

For a residential requirement, use the FTTH discovery path. For an office or organisational site, start with FTTO discovery. If the wider environment is unclear, begin with the Digital Readiness Assessment.