A network component is disclosed that includes a memory comprising a data structure comprising an optical network terminal management and control interface (OMCI) comprising a plurality of managed entities (MEs), wherein one of the MEs is a description of the OMCI. Also disclosed is a network component comprising a processor configured to implement a method comprising promoting the sending of an OMCI Description to an optical line terminal (OLT), wherein the OMCI Description comprises an OMCI Object, whose instance describes the types of MEs supported by an OMCI, a plurality of Managed Entity Objects, whose instances describe each ME supported by the OMCI, and a plurality of Attribute Objects, whose instances describe each attribute supported by the OMCI.