IEC 60728-114:2026 addresses fibre-based cable networks in which radio-frequency signals are carried over optical infrastructure. The document defines system and equipment parameters for FTTH and FTTB deployments using RF over glass (RFoG) technology, together with the measurement methods needed to evaluate how such systems perform. The following pages summarise its scope, the equipment families involved, and how testing laboratories typically work with a specification of this kind.
Standard Information
This part of the IEC 60728 series specifies the system and equipment requirements for fibre-to-the-home and fibre-to-the-building networks that carry television, sound and interactive services over optical fibre using RF subcarrier multiplexing. Return path traffic additionally relies on a time division multiple access technique governed by a TDMA protocol. Engineers, procurement specialists and quality managers involved in fibre access networks will find this document relevant when defining, measuring or verifying RFoG system performance. - Designation: IEC 60728-114:2026
- Full title: Cable networks for television signals, sound signals and interactive services - Part 114: Optical transmission systems using RFoG technology
- Status: Current
- Publication date: 2026-08-25
- ICS classification: 33, 33.180, 33.180.20
- Technical committee: TC 100
Scope and Application
The document describes FTTH and FTTB networks in which information travels in both the forward and the return path direction using RF subcarrier multiplexing. Return path transmission additionally applies time division multiple access, imposed by the transmission of return path signals under a TDMA protocol, for example the TDMA mode of DOCSIS. Systems built on this principle are designated RF over glass, abbreviated RFoG. Three functional elements make up an RFoG system as defined in the standard: an RFoG optical network unit (R-ONU) at the subscriber or building side, an optical distribution network based on xPON structure, and an RFoG optical return path receiver located upstream. The document specifies the basic system parameters and the methods of measurement for these systems, allowing assessment of system performance and of its performance limits. Boundary conditions are equally explicit. The detailed description of the physical layer falls outside the scope, and the document does not cover IP transport technologies. Readers evaluating RFoG networks for television, sound and interactive service delivery should therefore treat this part as a system-level specification rather than a component-level or protocol-level design manual.
Products and Materials Covered
The product families addressed correspond directly to the system elements named in the abstract. The R-ONU converts RF subcarrier multiplexed signals between the electrical and optical domains at the customer premises. The optical distribution network, structured on xPON principles, carries forward path traffic downstream and return path traffic upstream over shared fibre infrastructure. The RFoG optical return path receiver completes the chain at the headend or node side, recovering the burst-oriented return path signals generated under TDMA operation. Equipment falling under ICS 33.180.20, the classification covering fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components in broader terms, forms the relevant hardware context for passive distribution elements. Accordingly, the document applies to system integrators, network operators and equipment manufacturers concerned with complete RFoG transmission chains rather than with individual optical components in isolation. It addresses the combined behaviour of these elements as a system, since performance limits depend on how the R-ONU, distribution network and return path receiver interact under both forward and return path loading.
Testing and Compliance Considerations
Laboratories working with a system specification of this type generally begin by reproducing the operating configuration described in the document, connecting the network unit, the passive optical distribution structure and the return path receiver into a representative chain. Measurements of the basic system parameters are then performed using the methods of measurement the standard prescribes, and results are compared against the declared parameter set to characterise both nominal performance and performance limits. For procurement and acceptance verification, typical practice involves type testing of submitted samples against the specified parameters, followed by documented reporting of measured values. Test reports normally identify the configuration, the measurement methods applied and the observed results, so that buyers and quality managers can judge conformity without ambiguity. Retest triggers deserve attention. Changes to the optical distribution structure, to the R-ONU design, or to the return path receiver implementation can alter system-level behaviour even when each element appears unchanged individually. Contractual agreements commonly define which modifications, firmware revisions or component substitutions require renewed measurement. No pass or fail values are stated here; the document itself is the authoritative source for parameter definitions and measurement procedures, and the official IEC publication should be consulted for those details.
Related Standards and Series Context
The designation IEC 60728-114:2026 conveys several structural facts. The base number 60728 identifies an IEC series devoted to cable networks for television signals, sound signals and interactive services, prepared under IEC TC 100. Part 114 places this document within that multipart series as the part addressing optical transmission systems using RFoG technology. The suffix 2026 indicates the publication year of this edition. Within IEC numbering practice, a part number such as 114 designates a specific technical subject inside the series; higher or numeric-adjacent part numbers do not by themselves describe content relationships. The record available for this page does not include edition-comparison information, so no statement is made about changes relative to earlier publications. Readers requiring the complete normative text should obtain it through official IEC channels, since this page offers an interpretive overview only and does not reproduce or distribute the standard document itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What
is the typical turnaround time for testing against IEC 60728-114:2026?
Turnaround time for IEC 60728-114:2026 depends on the scope of testing, the number of samples, and the specific compliance considerations identified during evaluation. Scheduling, sample preparation, and report review all influence delivery of the final report, which documents the applicable test results.
What
sample requirements apply when submitting products for IEC 60728-114 testing?
Samples submitted for IEC 60728-114:2026 testing must represent the products and materials covered by the standard, such as cable network components within its scope. The required sample quantity and condition depend on the applicable test methods and the equipment categories addressed under the standard.
How do I select the right test method within IEC 60728-114:2026 for my product?
Method selection depends on how your product falls within the standard's scope and application. Understanding the differences in applicability across the cable network equipment and interactive service components covered ensures the chosen approach matches your product type and intended compliance purpose.