MTN Metro Ethernet

The principle behind a Metro Ethernet is that it is a computer network, based on the Ethernet standard, and covering a specific metropolitan area. It is most commonly used as a metropolitan access network to connect subscribers and businesses to a Wide Area Network (WAN), such as the Internet. A typical Metro Ethernet system has a star network or mesh network topology with individual routers or servers interconnected through cable or fibre optic media.

The beauty of MTN Metro Ethernet is that it can also be used by large companies to connect branch offices to their internal network. In addition, it also supports high bandwidths with fine granularity, while it can be easily connected to the customer network due to the prevalent use of Ethernet in corporations.

The future of business communications

The MTN Metro Ethernet product is designed as a highly reliable alternative last mile service, which provides the customer with high-speed, high availability, low latency and low jitter broadband Ethernet-based connectivity. This is then delivered over one of the most secure and expertly engineered IP networks available in the world.

The MTN solution is based on a fibre network that uses the Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology and supplies point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, or virtual local area network (LAN) services between customer branches. The areas in which this service is provided lie within the Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban metropolitan areas, allowing corporate clients in these locations to benefit from high density service coverage.

The most cost effective of all solutions, MTN Metro Ethernet enables customers to increase bandwidth dynamically, without requiring them to purchase or install new equipment.

Service Options

Built on MTN’s expansive IP backbone, the Metro Ethernet solution offers the competitive pricing and the high quality of service associated with a first-tier ISP provider.

Both the Metro Ethernet Cloud-Connect and Metro Ethernet Access-Connect are quality carrier-grade Layer2 service offerings, which combine the reliability and security of a fixed line service with the flexibility of a Layer 3 packet based service.

MTN Metro Ethernet: Cloud Connect

• MTN Metro Ethernet’s Cloud Connect service is an extension of the last mile Metro Ethernet services into the MTN Cloud where you can access other value added service from MTN Business.
• MTN Business Cloud Connect offers customers the following on a per site basis:
• Access – thanks to fibre to the premises and terminating equipment
• High capacity Ethernet connectivity to MTN value added service cloud
• Quality of Service
• Service Level Agreements
• Management and Support
• The Cloud service gives customers direct access to MTN’s world class value added services such as Direct Internet, Hosting, Software as a Service, Voice and a whole host of innovative and cost effective cloud solutions.

MTN Metro Ethernet: Access Connect

• The MTN Metro Ethernet: Access Connect service is a point-to-point Metro Ethernet service. This is an ideal service for those customers wanting to connect a single or multiple branches. However, it should be noted that this is subject to the customer being on-net to MTN Metro Ethernet Fibre.

Why MTN Metro Ethernet

There are a number of advantages to the MTN Metro Ethernet solution. The first is that there are no bumps to iron out in the technology, as it is a proven one that has been used extensively for decades.

Secondly, an Ethernet interface is less costly than traditional Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), while it also supports high bandwidths with fine granularity.

Another advantage of an Ethernet-based access network is that it can be easily connected to the customer network, due to the prevalent use of Ethernet in large organisations. In addition, MTN Business will strategically partner with third party providers in areas where it does not have fibre coverage, to enable Metro Ethernet Solutions to reach its customers.

Since Metro Ethernet is multi-purpose, it can be used to deliver multiple types of data streams, including voice, data and video – the so-called ‘triple play’ services. Finally, since its capacity can be allocated in real time, congestion within the network can easily be bypassed.

Features & Benefits

• Standardised services: These include the provision of transparent, private line, virtual private line and LAN services; Ubiquitous service provided via standardised equipment; No changes needed to customer LAN equipment or networks; Accommodates existing network connectivity such as time-sensitive, Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) traffic and signalling; Ideally suited to converged voice, video and data networks.

• Scalability: Ethernet spans Access and Metro to National and Global Services, over a wide variety of physical infrastructures, implemented by a wide range of Service Providers; Bandwidth scales from 2Mbps to 10Gbps and beyond, in granular increments.

• Cost effective: Metro Ethernet enables customers to increase bandwidth dynamically without requiring them to purchase or install new equipment.

• Reliability: A self-healing network means it is able to detect and recover from incidents without impacting users; Can meet the most demanding quality and availability requirements; In those instances where problems occur, rapid recovery time as low as 50ms is possible.

• Quality of Service: SLAs are provisioned that deliver end-to-end performance which matches the requirements for voice, video and data over converged business and residential networks.

• Service Management: The ability to monitor, diagnose and centrally manage the network, using standards-based vendor independent implementations; Carrier-class operation and maintenance (OAM); Rapid service provisioning.

The Way Forward

A Metro Ethernet solution will have the potential to overcome high cost, extra-office connectivity bottlenecks, while it will also assist with customer retention, by offering an incremental and customisable solution that interoperates within existing network capabilities.

A Metro Ethernet offering can assist customers in building a viable business strategy that capitalises on existing infrastructures, while lowering total cost of network ownership. Further, the Metro Ethernet can be used as a broadband access technology for Layer 3 services like VPN. The solution can also replace redundant access technologies and be offered to customers as a migration technology.

MTN Business solutions are designed to cater to every customer’s individual needs and supported by highly skilled professionals.

Talk to us and we’ll assist you in crafting a solution that is tailored to meet your company’s specific requirements.