midband Ethernet

Midband Ethernet extends the range of Ethernet services that can also be offered over copper cable. The midband approach has the advantage that the existing copper twisted pair can be used for Ethernet in the connection area; an infrastructure upgrade is not required.

Midband Ethernet offers the same services as Metro Ethernet, but at lower data rates of 2 Mbit/s to 10 Mbit/s. Technologically, data rates of up to 45 Mbit/s are possible by bundling the copper lines. With 2Base- TL, the IEEE working group802.3ah defined the copper interface for midband Ethernet. Copper cable bundling makes the Ethernet services offered resistant to typical cable faults. To extend the Ethernet service edge, the Ethernet platform is represented by an Ethernet switch that supports full Ethernet functionality. This allows the Ethernet services E-LAN, E-Line and E-Tree, as defined by the Metro Ethernet Forum( MEF), to be offered.

Midband Ethernet switches are functionally similar to core switches with the difference that they have a 2Base-TL interface in addition to 10Base-T, 100Base-T, and 1000Base-T. As Layer 2 switches, they support LinkAggregation Groups (LAG), the Spanning Tree Protocols( STP) and the Rapid Spanning Tree Protocols( RSTP).