This Recommendation is intended to:

• Describe flexible access networks using optical fibre technology. The focus is primarily on a network to support services including plain old telephone service (POTS), data, video, leased line and distributive services.
• Describe characteristics of a passive optical network (PON) with the capability of transporting various services between the user-network interface and the service node interface.
• Concentrate on the fibre issues. The copper issues of hybrid systems are described elsewhere, e.g., x digital subscriber loop (xDSL) standardization.
• Cover transmission convergence (TC) issues between the service node interface and the user-network interface.
• Deal with specifications for frame format, media access control method, ranging method, operation, administration and maintenance (OAM) functionality and security in G-PON networks.
• Include optical access network (OAN) registration method, Time-of-Day distribution method, PON-ID maintenance capability.
• Include protocol-based optical network unit (ONU) power management specification.