PBT/MPLS battle rages

Provider backbone transport is one of the most-discussed emerging technologies in telecom. The latest adaptation of Ethernet technology for carrier networks has been adopted by a handful of vendors such as Nortel Networks and Nokia Siemens Networks, and is getting positive reinforcement from a small, but growing cadre of carriers, most notably BT.

Last week's Carrier Ethernet World Congress in Geneva, Switzerland, showcased the ongoing debate between vendors pushing PBT and those still backing widely deployed multiprotocol label switching and its PBT-like follow-up, transport-MPLS. The European Advanced Networking Test Center reported on validation tests at the event that provided even more fuel for the debate.

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