With growing bandwidth demands, businesses are turning to WAN network speeds that were once impractical. The competition within the bandwidth market has made 1,000 Mbps or Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) more affordable than one might expect. The cost per Mbps has dropped significantly in recent years, while availability has increased.

This is beneficial for businesses adopting cloud computing or those with substantial bandwidth requirements, such as medical facilities, content creators and distributors, and Internet service providers. Traditional options like T-carrier or other wireline services are no longer suitable—a fiber optic connection is now essential.

Fiber connections come in various forms, including traditional SONET service, Ethernet over Fiber, and shared bandwidth service.

Developed by telephone companies to manage a vast volume of calls, SONET is the original fiber optic standard. As computers became major bandwidth consumers, SONET was offered to businesses as a point-to-point connection or high-speed Internet access.

SONET, which stands for Synchronous Optical NETwork, is a synchronous protocol structured as time slots instead of packets. Modern packet-based networks require a SONET interface to translate packets into SONET time slots.

This interface typically comes as a card or module that plugs into a router, and it must match the service speed. SONET offers specific bandwidth levels such as 155 Mbps (OC-3), 622 Mbps (OC-12), 1.2 Gbps (OC-24), 2.4 Gbps (OC-48), 10 Gbps (OC-192), and 40 Gbps (OC-768). While each speed requires a specific interface module, fractional speeds are sometimes available. For example, it’s possible to order OC-12 service (capable of 622 Mbps) but limit the rate to 300 Mbps, saving money until the full bandwidth is needed.

As the oldest high-speed fiber technology, SONET forms the core of numerous regional and national fiber optic networks. It is widely available, particularly in major metropolitan areas.

Ethernet over Fiber (EoF) directly competes with SONET. This technology uses the Ethernet protocol, making it directly compatible with existing LANs. The connection from the provider is a standard Ethernet connection that plugs directly into the router.

Ethernet offers several advantages, including eliminating protocol conversions between LAN and WAN. It’s also highly scalable, with the port speed at the business location determining maximum bandwidth. A common Gigabit Ethernet port allows for various bandwidth options up to 1000 Mbps, adjustable without equipment changes. Users can start with their current needs and upgrade easily by contacting their provider.

Another advantage of Ethernet over Fiber is its support for standardized Carrier Ethernet services like E-Line and E-LAN. E-Line provides a point-to-point connection, while E-LAN offers a meshed multi-location network. Both can operate at the layer 2 switching level, interconnecting multiple LANs as one large bridged network. These LAN locations can be nationwide or even international.

Furthermore, EoF tends to be more cost-effective than SONET per Mbps. While SONET prices have decreased significantly, Ethernet remains generally cheaper. However, SONET might be more readily available in some locations.

Lastly, shared bandwidth is the most affordable WAN connection, costing a fraction of comparable SONET or Carrier Ethernet options. However, this affordability comes with sharing bandwidth among multiple users, resulting in fluctuating available bandwidth. Additionally, shared bandwidth services are typically asymmetrical, with download speeds exceeding upload speeds. This is sufficient for employee internet access but may be inadequate for frequent uploads, responsive cloud service connections, or remote backup and recovery using high-bandwidth services.

Businesses seeking to upgrade their bandwidth without excessive costs can explore competitive quotes on SONET and Carrier Ethernet options to discover the range of choices available for their locations.