What is Metro E?

Metro E is short for Metro Ethernet, a popular and rapidly expanding network connection service.

Metro E is Ethernet like the protocol you run on your Local Area Network (LAN). But it has been standardized and adapted to also run on a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN). The organization behind this standardization is the MEF or Metro Ethernet Forum. It’s an industry standards organization dedicated to Carrier Ethernet.

Here’s why you should you know about Metro E and seriously consider using it for your business connectivity. Metro Ethernet services are better suited to today’s packet switched networks than the legacy telecom services such as T1. Connectivity is almost trivial. Ethernet is what nearly all networks are running as a protocol. The connection from your service provider is an Ethernet jack. That’s it. No need for special conversion equipment to connect to your switches and routers.

Metro E is supported by a number of incumbent telecom carriers, plus many new competitive service providers that have no connection to legacy telephone services. Nearly all of these new competitors have built their networks on fiber optic lines and IP or MPLS core networks. Metro Ethernet services are easily transported on these networks. The result of all this competition is that Metro E prices are often considerably lower per Mbps than T1, DS3, or OCx bandwidth. It is not uncommon to get 3 Mbps Ethernet service for the same price as 1.5 Mbps T1 and similarly reduced costs at higher bandwidths.

Like other telecom services, Metro Ethernet can be set up to provide point to point connectivity between two business locations. Unlike older technologies, Ethernet Line Service can be configured as a layer 2 connection between two LANs, effectively connecting them to make one larger LAN. Ethernet LAN Service, or ELAN, can do the same thing for multiple locations. It’s a high performance and cost effective way for businesses to tie-together branch offices, factories, headquarters and warehouses. It works just as well for hospitals and their related medical centers in the area.

Another use for Metro E is as an access network connection. Metro E links are used as last mile connections to larger MPLS networks for national or worldwide service. They are also used as dedicated broadband Internet connections for small, medium and large organizations.

Metro E bandwidth tends to be easily scalable. Service at 3 Mbps is a popular entry level bandwidth. Many companies move up to 10 Mbps, a standard LAN speed. Fast Ethernet at 100 Mbps, 1000 Mbps and 10 Gigabit Ethernet are other standard LAN speeds that are also supported by Metro E providers. While these speeds are popular, most providers offer incremental bandwidths between each of these levels. You can order any bandwidth up to the limit of your installed Ethernet port. Start with what you need now and easily upgrade as the need arises.

One thing you should know is that the Metro in Metro E generally means just that. This service is available in most metropolitan areas, but rarely in rural areas. It may be possible to get Ethernet connectivity over T1 lines, called EoDS1. This is a way to extend service to include remote business locations.

If Metro E the right service for your business situation? A quick way to find out is to request a list of Metro E service levels and prices for your business location or locations.

Ethernet over Copper Growing By Leaps and Bounds

What’s the hottest new access network service? It’s clearly Ethernet over Copper. So hot is it that competitive carriers are scrambling to add coverage as fast as they can. An recent example is XO Communications, a major player in EoC, that just expanded its Ethernet over Copper network by more than 30%.

Just what is Ethernet over Copper and why is it so hot? The technology was developed in response to changing network priorities. WAN or Wide Area Network networks have traditionally been the domain of the telephone industry, which has adapted telephone transport technology to also carry data and video.

T1 lines have been used almost universally by businesses for point to point and dedicated Ethernet connections. They can be configured to transport 1.5 Mbps in both the upload and download directions. What’s made T1 so universal is that it is provisioned on two pair of ordinary copper telephone wires.

Ethernet over Copper also makes use of those same copper telephone wires, some of which have been in the ground for decades. Why push this old copper into service when fiber optics is so much more advanced? Simply because there is so much copper available and perfectly functional. Every business location has copper telephone bundles installed by default. If you want fiber optic service, you need to be in a fiber lit building or often be willing to pay the construction costs of extending fiber from the nearest carrier point to presence to your location. If copper will work, construction costs are minimal to non-existant.

But what can you do with copper? You can extend your LAN across town or across the country. You can even connect internationally to include locations overseas. Want a fast, reliable connection to the Internet? EoC will give you just that.

But why Ethernet over Copper instead of just sticking with the venerable T1 line? It comes down to cost, bandwidth and services. EoC is typically cheaper than T1 for the same level of bandwidth. In fact, you can often get 3 Mbps Ethernet for the same price as 1.5 Mbps T1. The most popular service is 10 Mbps Ethernet over Copper, although you can also get 20 Mbps and sometimes up to 50 Mbps over copper. T1 bandwidth can also be increased by bundling multiple T1 lines together, but the cost is often prohibitive above 10 Mbps.

In addition, Ethernet over Copper keeps your network protocol as Ethernet from LAN to WAN and back to LAN. That allows you to create virtual LANs that include multiple locations acting as one bridged LAN network. Ethernet line and LAN services are becoming very popular with businesses that support multiple locations.

Is Ethernet over Copper a service that would benefit your company or organization? Before you sign a contract for any other service, be sure to get pricing and availability of Ethernet over Copper bandwidth. It can be an eye-opener.

Metro Ethernet vs T1 Lines

Small and medium size businesses typically use T1 lines or multiple T1 lines to provide reliable broadband connectivity. But now there’s another option that you should consider for higher bandwidth at lower prices. That’s Metro Ethernet.

Metro Ethernet service is available in most metropolitan areas. Hence, the name “metro.” Also, like the name implies, this is a switched Ethernet protocol compatible with what you are running on your local area network. That makes it easy to connect from your network to your Metro Ethernet connection. You simply plug into the Ethernet jack from the service provider and you are connected to the wide area network. With T1 lines, you need a special interface card that contains the CSU/DSU circuitry to connect with that technology or a stand-alone T1 CSU/DSU with an RJ-45 network output.

Both T1 lines and Metro Ethernet services can be configured to provide point to point private lines between business locations. They can also be used as access network connections to the Internet. Both give you dedicated Internet access with assured bandwidth and availability.

In addition, Metro Ethernet can be set up as a multi-point service to connect several business locations on the same network. This can be a level 2 switched Ethernet service that ties your branch office and main office LANs together in one larger bridged network. You can create larger networks using T1 lines, but they are inherently connections from one location to another. You’ll have to build a star or mesh network yourself.

What about bandwidth? T1 lines are inherently fixed at 1.5 Mbps each. The way to get higher levels of bandwidth is to incrementally add more lines through a process called bonding. For instance, 2 T1 lines gives you 3 Mbps, 4 lines will provide 6 Mbps, 6 lines gives 9 Mbps, and so on.

Ethernet services are also available in a variety of bandwidth options from 1 Mbps through 10 Gbps. Small and medium size businesses will typically opt for 3 to 10 Mbps options. An advantage of Ethernet is that it is scalable up to the fastest speed the connection will handle. You can start out with 3 Mbps bandwidth and upgrade to 10 Mbps or 20 Mbps, often with only a phone call to your provider.

T1 is a wireline service. It is based on two sets of twisted pair copper telco wires. That makes T1 available nearly everywhere you can get phone service. At the lower bandwidths, Ethernet is also provisioned over twisted pair copper wire. A different modulation scheme is used to gain higher bandwidths using multiple copper pair. You may be able to get up to 50 Mbps Ethernet over Copper. The upper limit is distance sensitive, so the closer you are to a carrier’s nearest point of presence, the higher bandwidths you can get.

When fiber optic connections are available, the higher Ethernet bandwidths are readily available. Medium size businesses commonly use 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps connections, with larger corporations installing 1 Gbps to 10 Gbps fiber optic Ethernet services.

How do prices compare? The price of T1 lines has dropped dramatically in recent years and can be had for under $400 per month in many areas. For about the same cost, you can get twice the bandwidth with 3 Mbps Ethernet. For what you may be paying on an older T1 line contract, you may be able to upgrade to 10 Mbps Ethernet and get the bandwidth you need for today’s demanding business applications.

Ethernet sounds good, but how can you find out which Ethernet bandwidth services are available for your location or locations? The easy way is use the quick Metro Ethernet Service finder at Ethernet Today. See if nearby buildings are already lit for Metro Ethernet service and get quotes for competing service providers. You may be surprised how affordable the new Ethernet services really are.