MegaPath goes nationwide with Ethernet over Copper

MegaPath is moving to challenge the growing base of competitive providers offering Ethernet over Copper (EoC) by extending its service on a nationwide basis.

Already available in 200 COs (central offices), MegaPath plans to double that footprint to 400 COs by the end of 2011 and over 680 COs by June 2012.  

When its rollout is complete, MegaPath will join the ranks of PAETEC/Intellifiber and XO as having one of the largest EoC networks.

Similar to its initial 50 market EoC expansion effort, MegaPath's latest Ethernet service expansion effort will leverage ADTRAN's (Nasdaq: ADTN) Total Access 5000 to deliver a mix of Ethernet services directly over copper and via VDSL2 bonding.

The combination of these two technologies will enable MegaPath to deliver up to 100 symmetric services, while offering 400 Mbps download speeds via higher modulation techniques in the ADTRAN gear.

Of course, the availability of the 400 Mbps service will depend on the copper loop length from the CO to a particular customer.

"We have been deploying ADTRAN's TA 5000 for a number of years and earlier this year when we decided to expand our offering," said Aamir Hussain, SVP Chief Technology Officer, MegaPath, in an interview with FierceTelecom. "With our current Ethernet offering we can only support 20 Mbps, but the new capabilities we're getting from ADTRAN we'll be able to support 100 Mbps symmetrical and also in some cases 400 Mbps asymmetrical services."

Hussain added that in "almost 70 percent of our current business footprint enables our customers to get higher speeds on services they buy today" like IP MPLS VPNs.

While fiber-based Ethernet services are growing amongst competitive and even incumbent providers, EoC is filling a large gap that still is out of reach of available fiber.

For more:
- see the release

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