Pushing high-speed networks out to bandwidth-hungry businesses, Broadview Networks said it will expand deployments of its Ethernet-over-copper access lines. Aimed at smaller companies without access to fiber, and running over Actelis Networks Inc.’s “Ethernet in the First Mile” network, the expanded service is available in several bundled offerings from Broadview, including SIP trunking, MPLS, the OfficeSuite service, or as a standalone Internet-access service known as ZOOM.
Less costly than fiber, Ethernet-over-copper (EOC) offers “fiber-quality” speed and reliability, Actelis said in a statement, at variable speeds that range from 3 Mbps up to 30 Mbps. Broadview’s service area covers the Eastern Seaboard including Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston.
A hosted IP phone system, Broadview’s OfficeSuite comprises handsets, feature-rich voice calling, and a Web management portal.
Amid a growing demand for Ethernet services, even from small businesses, carriers are turning to EOC as a bridge technology that provides high-speed and reliable service without the time and expense of laying fiber optic cable. Estimates vary, but most analysts agree that direct fiber connections stretch to less than 25 percent of all U.S. commercial buildings.
Along with rivals like Hatteras Networks Inc., Actelis has crafted a lucrative business in delivering Ethernet services to operators looking to augment their fiber networks. Recently, Tier 1 carriers including AT&T (T), BT Group (BT), and Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) have all announced plans to expand their EOC offerings.
