Well, you're in luck. XO Communications, one of the leading providers of Metro Ethernet WAN services, is now offering a veritable buffet of bandwidth for businesses locations that have their on-net fiber optic service. You have your choice of 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 200, 300, 400, or 500 Mbps. This more granular speed resolution gives you the opportunity to match your application need with the optimal bandwidth so you'll be paying for just what you need. No more, no less.
Right now these incremental service speeds are available in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, San Jose, Seattle, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. By next year, they should be available in all 75 metropolitan areas that XO serves.
Carrier Ethernet is picking up steam as the bandwidth option of choice, especially for businesses located in buildings that are already lit for fiber optic service. XO is able to offer Ethernet WAN (Wide Area Network) connections from 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps, with an installed network infrastructure of nearly a million fiber miles of metro networks and 18,000 miles of intercity fiber trunks. As the bandwidth goes up, the cost per Mbps goes down for users. It's not unusual for businesses to get twice the bandwidth for less money when they switch from traditional DS3 service at 45 Mbps to Fast Ethernet at 100 Mbps.
But what about locations that don't yet have fiber optic service connections? If there is a single tenant with enormous bandwidth needs or multiple tenants who will commit to Ethernet service contracts, it might be possible to have fiber service brought in. If that isn't economically feasible, you may still be able to have Ethernet delivered on standard twisted pair copper wiring. This service, called EoC or Ethernet over Copper, is now available up to 11,000 feet from central offices where XO has deployed its EoC terminal equipment. That covers a LOT of real estate in metropolitan areas.
Yet another option, offered by XO in 39 major cities, is fixed broadband wireless. This is also an Ethernet delivery technology with available speeds from 10 Mbps to 155 Mbps. You need to have line of sight to an XO transmitting antenna, but you don't need to dig up the street to bring in new fiber or copper connections.
Does reading this make your mouth water in anticipation of upgrading from DSL, T1 or other broadband connections that just aren't adequate anymore? If so, find out what business bandwidth connections are available for your location now.
