Ethernet over Copper FAQ

Business bandwidth options have increased dramatically over the last few years. One new technology that is rapidly gaining popularity is Ethernet over Copper or EoC. Before you sign a contract or renew an existing one for the connectivity you have now, see if these FAQs pique your interest in this newer bandwidth service.

Q: What is Ethernet over Copper service?

A: Ethernet over Copper is a digital line service that transmits Ethernet network signals over twisted pair telecom cabling. It essentially transports your LAN traffic over metropolitan and wide area networks.

Q: How does EoC relate to T1 line service?

A: Both EoC and T1 use the same twisted pair telephone cable installed by the incumbent local telephone company. The modulation technology for EoC is different from what is used for T1, so the performance of the line services each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Q: Why would you order Ethernet over Copper instead of T1?

A: The advantages of EoC include higher available bandwidth at lower cost that equivalent T1 line services and easy scalability. There are also Ethernet services available that T1 doesn’t support.

Q: Does T1 still make sense in light of EoC?

A: T1 has the advantages of nearly unlimited availability and a locked-in line speed that isn’t related to how far you are from the telco office. You can get T1 line service in rural areas where Ethernet over Copper does not yet reach. A special type of T1 line called ISDN PRI is popular for PBX telephone trunking. EoC is has no direct equivalent.

Q: What bandwidth levels are available with Ethernet over Copper?

A: Entry level service is typically 2 or 3 Mbps, compared with 1.5 Mbps for T1 lines. Just about any increment in service level is available. Popular bandwidths are 3, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25 and 30 Mbps. In some cases, you can get as much as 50 or 100 Mbps over copper.

Q: Does this mean that EoC can replace fiber?

A: EoC and be a viable alternative to fiber optic service in the lower speeds that fiber operates. Some companies don’t need the full fiber bandwidth of OC3 at 155 Mbps or even DS3 (a fiber/copper hybrid) at 45 Mbps. For these applications, 10 or 20 Mbps may be fast enough and offer a considerable cost savings.

Q: How do you connect to EoC service?

A: The service provider will install a piece of CPE or Customer Premises Equipment at your location. This device will have an Ethernet port that is similar to what you find on any other piece of network equipment. You just plug it in to your edge router or switch and you’ll have connectivity.

Q: What is meant by easy scalability?

A: Traditional telecom services are designed for very specific bandwidths that aren’t easily changed. If you upgrade service, that means a “truck roll” to install a new interface and possibly a long wait while the carrier make the network changes necessary to support a higher bandwidth to your location. The Ethernet over Copper CPE has an Ethernet port with a maximum speed, typically 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps. As long as you don’t need more than the maximum bandwidth supported, you can change to a higher or lower speed service in a matter of hours or days, rather than weeks or months.

Does EoC sound like a service that might work for your business connectivity needs? If so, find out what Ethernet over Copper bandwidths and costs are available for your location.


You may also be interested in reading Ethernet over Copper FAQ (Part 2) and Ethernet over Copper FAQ (Part 3).

Ethernet over Copper Rising Rapidly

A combination of improved business conditions and productivity enhancements from automation are nudging, even pulling, companies toward higher bandwidth network connections. Rather than just order more of the same T1 or other line services, savvy managers are taking a fresh look at new technology that offers more bandwidth for less money. What’s the hottest WAN network service of them all? It’s Ethernet over Copper.

Ethernet over Copper, or EoC as it’s called for short, is pretty much what it sounds like. It is an Ethernet line service delivered over ordinary twisted pair copper wiring. That’s the same twisted pair copper that is now bundled into a multi-pair cable and already installed in nearly every business location. Some of those wires are used for multi-line telephone service. Others for T1 or other broadband line service.

What an EoC provider does is lease some of the copper pairs from the incumbent local telephone company that owns them. Just the bare wires are needed without signals of any kind. Then the provider installs special terminal equipment at each end of the circuit. This terminal equipment uses efficient modulation techniques along with interference cancellation technology to get the highest bandwidth possible consistent with maximum reliability.

So what can Ethernet over Copper give you that T1 lines can’t? For one thing, the interface between LAN and WAN is trivial. Since you already have Ethernet running on your local area network, it is directly compatible with an Ethernet service connecting you to the outside world. Just plug the WAN Ethernet service into your edge router and you are connected. There is no need for special CSU/DSU interface cards or other equipment to translate between dissimilar protocols. It’s Ethernet all the way.

T1 lines tend to be provisioned in units of 1.5 Mbps. If you want more bandwidth, you need to install another line. Still need more bandwidth? Then order another line to be bonded-in and wait for it to be installed.

Ethernet bandwidth tends to be highly scalable. Ethernet over Copper service typically starts at 1 to 3 Mbps and goes up to a maximum of 45 Mbps in just about any increment you want. The sweet spot is around 10 Mbps. That’s the bandwidth that many companies desire and it is easily delivered over copper. How much bandwidth you can get at any location depends on how close you are to the provider’s POP or Point of Presence. Nearby, it’s easy to get high bandwidths. A few miles away, you may have limited choices.

Just how hot is Ethernet over Copper. TelePacific, a major competitive service provider, is adding dozens of new Ethernet over copper wire centers by the end of 2011 just to meet the rising demands in its service footprint. High bandwidths up to 1 Gbps will be provided over fiber optic connections.

The rush to EoC is about more than bandwidth. It’s highly influenced by the lower costs that Ethernet services offer. Nationwide, you can typically get 3 Mbps Ethernet for the cost of a 1.5 Mbps T1 line. Cost savings at higher bandwidths are as good or better. The only thing limiting the meteoric rise of Ethernet right now is how fast carriers can deploy the service to every business location.

Could you benefit from the EoC revolution? Find out quickly and easily with a quick cost and availability quote for Ethernet over Copper service.

Making The Move For Higher Bandwidth

Is your organization bandwidth frustrated? With online technology moving as fast as it has been, many organizations find that the bandwidth they need exceeds the bandwidth they have. Ok, no problem. Just call up your service provider and tell them to crank up the line speed. Oh, no. They say you have all the speed you can get. Now what?

Have you considered moving? The sad truth is that bandwidth availability and pricing are highly location dependent. Some locations offer a wealth of options and low prices. Others may not even be able to support your basic needs no matter how much you are willing to spend.

There are two ways to move. You can relocate physically or you can relocate virtually. Between the two, you should find an acceptable solution.

Physical relocation is what it says. You pack up and move to another building. If you’ve been thinking of doing this anyway because you’ve run out of space or the rent has gotten to high, or you’d like to be closer to your customer base or suppliers, then lack of bandwidth could be the impetus that gets you going.

Don’t just blindly pick a spot based without checking out broadband availability first. You may be in for a rude shock. Sometimes service is available across the street, but not where you are. It’s hard to tell by looking, at least from the outside. You might talk to other tenants if you’ll have neighbors in the facility. See what they have for telephone and connectivity. Tenants of the buildings next to your pick should also be close enough to give you an idea if the bandwidth you want is available.

The best way to know for sure is to get competitive quotes from a telecom broker. Generally you need an address and telephone number for that address to get accurate quotes. Your consultants can work with you on getting something close enough to ensure you won’t be disappointed when you actually order service.

What if you can’t move or really don’t want to? In that case, a virtual move may be in order. Keep your offices and staff in place. What you’ll be moving is your servers and any appliances that need high bandwidth connections. Where will you be going? To a colocation center, of course. A colo, or carrier hotel, is a facility that provides rack space, power, cooling, and bandwidth for many clients. The cost of bringing bandwidth to your particular equipment is trivial because the service providers are also present in the colo facility. It’s usually just a matter of a wire or fiber line to another room. You can relocate the equipment you have now or sometimes rent servers that the colo technical staff maintain.

Are you ready to make the move for higher bandwidth? Before you make any commitments, be sure to talk with a Telarus expert consultant. You’ll get options, recommendations and prices on what services are available at your candidate destinations.