and 64 optical network terminals onts 28 note that there is a cascade arrangement between first level splitter 24 and each of second level splitters 26 the number of onts 28 and splitters 24 and 26 and their arrangement in this embodiment is for purposes of illustration only and other embodiments can have any other suitable number of onts and accordingly any suitable number size i e 2 n and arrangement of splitters also the term u201c splitter u201d is intended to encompass within its scope not only a unitary passive optical device that splits or distributes signals over two or more outputs but also any suitable system of two or more devices that performs an equivalent function more specifically in the exemplary embodiment first level splitter 24 has an input which can be referred to as a pon input for convenience coupled to olt 22 another input which can be referred to as an otdr input for convenience coupled to otdr system 20 and a plurality of outputs while each of second level splitters 26 has a pon input coupled to an output of first level splitter 24 an otdr input coupled to otdr system 20 and a plurality of outputs each ont 28 is coupled to one of the outputs of one of splitters 26 as noted above in other embodiments of the invention the splitters can be.