What’s new in the world of telecommunications services is Metro Ethernet and Carrier Ethernet. These terms refer to regional and long haul high bandwidth transport services based on the Ethernet protocol. What you get when you order an Ethernet WAN connection is a telecom service that connects your LAN to another business location, to a meshed network of multiple locations, or a dedicated high speed connection to the Internet.
Ethernet services come in a variety of speeds that include the standard 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet, and 1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet. In some locations you can also get 10 GigE or 10,000 Mbps. In addition, Ethernet services are often scalable so that you can order 5 Mbps and then upgrade to 10, 15, 25 or 50 Mbps with just a phone call to your carrier.
Ethernet pricing is often much lower per Mbps than DS3, OC3 or even T1 lines. For speeds above about 50 Mbps you’ll need a fiber optic connection. But once installed, that fiber service can deliver almost unlimited bandwidth to support your business as it grows. Within major metropolitan areas, you may also be able to get EoC or Ethernet over Copper service. It uses the same twisted pair copper telco bundles that you already have connected in the back room. With a carrier provided EoC router, you’ll be able to get line speeds of up to 45 Mbps near carrier offices. Lower speeds are available up to several miles away.
You can, indeed, get DS3 speeds without having to pay DS3 pricing. But you may be able to get DS3 at much lower costs that you are paying now. The business bandwidth field has become more competitive lately and prices have dropped across the board. So, even if you want to keep the DS3 service you have now, why not pay less every month? If you prefer to switch to Ethernet or would like to compare prices between the two services, then take a minute and get online quotes for DS3 and Ethernet connections for your business location. I’ll bet you can save at least something on your next line lease.
