Posted: 29th Jun, 2006 By: MarkJ
UK broadband supplier Easynet has launched EtherStream, a '
First Mile' technology capable of delivering Ethernet networking over existing copper telephone lines at speeds of up to 45Mbps:
The service comes in two flavours, each requiring up to eight bonded copper pairs. An MPLS service for midsize corporate customers will be available from 2Mbps to 20Mbps, while an internet access service will scale from 6Mbps to 20Mbps.
The maximum limit of the service is 24Mbps over a distance of 3km, which is the sum of eight bonded pairs at 3Mbps per pair. That ceiling is one imposed by the national incumbent BT, from whom the copper local loops are being unbundled, rather than a physical limitation. The physical ceiling is actually 5.7Mbps, which makes services of up to 45Mbps possible over eight pairs.
In the UK, the company intends to roll the offering out to 200 exchanges by September, offering a 10Mbps service [over 4km] on a three-year contract for about £19,000 per annum. This compares to just over £40,000 per annum for a leased line service from BT and around £35,000 a year from another competitor, NTL : Telewest.Rivals BT and Colt also have plans for deploying similar technology, which is clearly aimed more at larger businesses.
Unfortunately the rest of us will have to continue our long wait for 'Fibre To The Home' before seeing such speeds at a more consumer affordable level. More @ ComputerWire.