Challenges to Wider Ethernet Deployment

A major challenge for GigE is extending fiber from existing metro fiber rings to enterprises. The process of digging trenches and laying fiber from fiber rings to customers is referred to as building laterals. Availability of fiber would enable Fortune 1000 companies with multiple sites to use GigE from one network provider for service to all of their sites.

Ethernet can also operate over copper and wireless media. However, finding sites eligible for wireless access that are within line of sight of the fiber ring is not always feasible. The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) approved a standard for 10 Mbps Ethernet over copper in June 2004. This requires dry copper cabling, cabling from the CO (Central Office) to customers that is used for no other services. However, for other than RBOCs (Regional Bell Operating Company), dry copper cabling is not always available or easily rented.

In newly developing countries in Africa and Asia, fiber is more prevalent because costs to lay new fiber compare favorably to costs to lay copper. This is because prices for copper have increased, fiber costs have decreased, and labor and installation are the major costs for new cabling. In these countries and in dense cities, Ethernet and GigE are used on new fiber to homes and businesses. Ethernet is often used in conjunction with Puns (passive optical networks). PONs are a lower-cost method of extending fiber to premises and neighborhoods.