Ethernet: Metro Ethernet

Improve on Your Mission-Critical Application Performance and Operational Efficiencies

Are you getting the most out of your communications network? For a boost in network application performance and increase in network flexibility, choose CenturyLink^™ Metro Ethernet service and enjoy seamless integration across business applications.

CenturyLink Metro Ethernet service combines the power of Ethernet and optical technologies across metropolitan area/wide area network (MAN/WAN) to deliver low cost, scalable, and secure bandwidth. With copper¹ and fiber networks providing native Ethernet service, CenturyLink Metro Ethernet service offers flexibility while simultaneously decreasing costs, as compared to carrying an equivalent bandwidth on traditional synchronous optical network (SONET)-based networks. This allows you to upgrade and increase speeds quickly to meet your growing bandwidth needs. CenturyLink Metro Ethernet also provides local area network (LAN)-to-LAN connectivity between two or more customer locations within a metro area.

Metro Ethernet Service Features

• Point-to-point and multipoint service configurations
• Bandwidth options from 3 Mbps to 1 Gbps (in select markets)
• Secure and reliable service, with service level agreement (SLA) goals of 99.9% availability with quality of service (QoS) feature
• Incremental bandwidth options in 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps increments on 10/100 Mbps and 1000 Mbps interfaces, respectively
• 150 Mbps option (select markets only)
• A completely meshed native Metro Ethernet network
• QoS is an option that provides four ways to prioritize traffic and an SLA goal of 99.9% availability on the highest level queue and offered in 5 Mbps increments
• Aggregation Ports that support multiple Ethernet virtual connections (EVCs) for simplified management
• Central office connectivity with SST, SHNS, GeoMax^® and collocations (select markets only)
• Protect Routing physically separates the working and protect data links and provides an SLA goal of 99.99 percent availability (select markets only).

Benefits of CenturyLink Metro Ethernet

• Reduce your total cost of ownership by eliminating the need for specialized WAN support expertise; lower cost Metro Ethernet switches and routers, as well as consolidating server/facilities, also help reduce cost of WAN equipment
• Increase flexibility with scalable bandwidth increments allowing you to pay only for what you need
• Enhance productivity by enabling virtual work groups across a metropolitan area (i.e., gain connectivity—both internally and externally—to those entities you regularly communicate with; for example, your suppliers)
• Upgrade easily with quick turnaround; your service can typically be up and running in as little as four business days after service order and acceptance

¹ Subject to availability