Ethernet business services shoppers are often looking for the same type of application, namely to connect their premises to a nearby Internet, co-location, or data backup/storage facility, or to connect two facilities in the same metro area to each other. For carriers, this presents an opportunity to bundle Internet access, IP VPNs, managed services and applications, hosting and storage services, and other services. For compete Ethernet Services.
Limits to Fiber
Ethernet business services usually require fiber to the premises, but only about 15% of commercial locations are connected by fiber lines, which limited Ethernet access to larger office buildings. However, low-speed or “mid-band” Ethernet over copper technology is finally seeing wider deployment by both incumbent (AT&T, Embarq and Qwest) and competitive (Cavalier, XO) carriers. Mid-band Ethernet uses copper pair bonding techniques, typically over G.SHDSL, to deliver 2-10 Mbps symmetrically at distances of one or two miles. XO, for example, supports 10 Mbps over 9,000 feet using five copper pairs. Ethernet can also be delivered using bonded TDM circuits such as NxT1, DS-3 or cable MSOs Ethernet over HFC networks.