If you are currently using a limited bandwidth service, you may well benefit from an upgrade to Metro Ethernet. What’s that going cost and what can you get? How about twice the bandwidth for the same money you are spending now? I don’t blame you for raising an eyebrow. The entire bandwidth game has changed in the last few years. Just as T1 lines became the de-facto digital telecom service for small to medium businesses, Carrier Ethernet was standardized and deployed for metropolitan and long haul networks. Ethernet services are now spreading like wildfire in support of all size businesses.
In a sense, what we have is a changing of the guard. The digital telecom services we’re most familiar with, T1, DS3 and OC3, are actually telephone technologies that have been adapted to carry data packets rather than digitized phone calls. However, what’s deployed on just about every computer network is the Ethernet protocol. It only makes sense to extend that Ethernet protocol into the wide area networks as well.
This is what Metro E is all about. It’s Ethernet that connects your LAN at one location to your LAN at another location across town. If you like, you can set this up for strictly point to point service, called Ethernet Line, or as a multipoint service called Ethernet LAN.
Metro E networks are designed from the ground up for ease of bandwidth provisioning. With T1 lines, for instance, you generally have to settle for increments of 1.5 Mbps and wait for entire new lines to be installed to increase your bandwidth. With Ethernet, you order an Ethernet Port that is capable of a maximum speed. Then you are free to order the level of bandwidth you need for your current applications. If you need to increase your network capacity to meet an increased need, a simple phone call to your service provider is often all you need to have your Ethernet line speed turned up.
Metro Ethernet offers bandwidth options from 1 Mbps on up to 10 Gbps. Popular speeds are 3 Mbps, 10 Mbps, 50 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps and 10 Gbps. Of course, you can order speeds in-between these levels so you only need pay for what you need. The lower bandwidth options up to 45 Mbps are provisioned on twisted copper pair and called Ethernet over Copper or EoC. High speed Ethernet services are provisioned over fiber optic cable. These range from 45 Mbps on up to 10 Gbps.
Metro E is also popular as an access connection to larger networks. Ethernet dedicated Internet access provides rock-solid bandwidth to the public Internet. MPLS networks and Ethernet are highly compatible. Worldwide Ethernet service using Metro E connected to a large MPLS networks is now readily available.
Don’t forget the price savings. In most situations, your least cost per Mbps or Gbps will be an Ethernet service. Currently, 3 Mbps Ethernet is going for about the same price as 1.5 Mbps T1. Even larger savings are available as bandwidths increase. How much can you save? Find out by checking Metro E prices and availability now.
Note: Photo of city lights courtesy of Wikipedia Commons
