Optical Line Terminal

The device that serves as your ISPs endpoint of the passive optical network (PON). The OLT also provides the interface between a PON and your ISP’s core network. Simply put, an OLT is ISP equipment.

The OLT is the device that exists at your ISPs central hub.

An OLT has a few purposes:

1. Control the information flowing upstream and downstream.
2. Convert the standard signals used by fiber optic service to the frequency and framing used by a PON system.
3. Coordinate the multiple analog or digital signals that are combined into one signal (called multiplexing) that happens between the ONT conversion devices.

The upstream channel transmits different types of data and voice traffic from users to the ISP. The downstream channel is what receives data, voice and video traffic and sends it to all ONT devices on your network.