Metro Ethernet

The International Landscape

In 2000, while the U.S. market was bubbling with greenfield operators building their metro networks and challenging the almighty RBOCs and IXCs, the metro Ethernet market was taking its own form and shape across the globe. What was different about the rest of the world was the lack of venture capital funding that had allowed new greenfield providers to mushroom in the U.S.

The European Landscape

In Europe, the first activities in metro Ethernet occurred in Scandinavia, specifically Sweden. Telia, the largest Swedish telecom provider, had submitted an RFI for metro Ethernet services. Unlike the U.S., where the providers were focusing on T1 private-line replacement, the target application in Sweden was residential. Many ...