In a world of hybrid working and vast data demands, having the right business connectivity solutions in place has never been so vital. So, it’s great news for companies across the UK that the Government is investing millions in replacing the country’s old copper network with a full fibre alternative. But to really make the most of this upgrade, businesses must be prepared to change their connectivity strategy.
At Neos Networks, the product team is always hard at work identifying and responding to the changing needs of the market, leveraging the expertise of our engineering teams and assessing customer feedback to spot new opportunities.
It was this process that led us to the realisation that smaller, evolving businesses were in need of a hybrid solution that sat between traditional fibre broadband and a dedicated fibre ethernet connection. The answer: Ethernet over FTTx (EoFTTx) – a hybrid solution for businesses that want all the benefits of full fibre Ethernet but at a more achievable price point. It can also work just as well for larger businesses that have diverse network needs.
As Product Director Mark Charlesworth believes: “Traditional broadband has been used as a sticking plaster for too long, but it has failed to provide the levels of quality and data throughput that our customers demand within their networks.”
We sat down with Charlesworth to answer the pressing questions about EoFTTx, from service availability to business benefits. Here’s what we discovered.
What types of EoFTTx services are available?
FTTx is an amalgam of terms. The various acronyms that we use cover multiple iterations of broadband network architecture, depending on the use case and configuration.
Currently, there are two types of EoFTTx services available: Ethernet over Fibre to the Cabinet (EoFTTC) and Ethernet over Fibre to the Premise (EoFTTP).
They are both robustly monitored to ensure connectivity services operate at peak efficiency 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
What is EoFTTC?
EoFTTC traditionally utilises an access tail from a third-party organisation, like Openreach. It then combines the selected third-parties network with an underlying copper telephone line.
Offered in capacities of up to 80/20Mbps, it works by running fibre from the exchange to the street cabinet, and then copper from the street cabinet on to the customer’s premise.
What is EoFTTP?
Where EoFTTP really differs from EoFTTC is its use of pure fibre connectivity, end to end.. This means it can provide fibre from both the exchange to the street cabinet and onwards into the customer’s premise. This in turn provides higher bandwidths (EoFTTP bandwidths range from 115/20Mbps to 1000/220Mbps), sub-1Gbps.
We offer EoFTTP on a national basis meaning as soon as the FTTP services are available in the street cabinet close to a customer’s premises, we can offer them this upgraded service.
What types of businesses can benefit from EoFTTx?
EoFTTx is a great fit for small to medium sized businesses looking to upgrade their connectivity services, in particular retail, education, offices and business parks.
EoFTTx will benefit those looking for a more reliable connection at capacities better suited to their expanding business models versus business broadband – all with business continuity options included as standard.
Neos Networks offers asymmetric bandwidth with higher downstream bandwidth available to upstream. We configure the service over our network to give customers the maximum downstream and upstream available with their level of access.
EoFTTx is also a scalable solution. For customers looking to move data between sites, providing connectivity for homeworking or allowing access to buildings via wayleave permission, EoFTTx offers a cost-effective, low bandwidth connectivity service at the lower end of the Ethernet spectrum. It essentially delivers an ethernet connection from a device in one location to a device in another.
How quick is EoFTTx to order and roll out?
EoFTTx is a solution that can be delivered up to 50% faster than full fibre Ethernet. Typical delivery timescales average around 15 working days, making it a perfect solution for businesses looking for a speedy implementation.
We all know that business connectivity needs have changed dramatically over the last few years. Services like, EoFTTx are well placed to support this change in attitude. The service is ideal for growing customer segments who want cost-effective business connectivity, without the full-scale commitment that often goes alongside.
Neos Networks provides class-leading connectivity and our experts have the industry experience and knowledge to develop and scale as your customers evolve.
Contact us to learn more about the technology in detail, including how it compares to other solutions in the market, how to identify customers the service might be suited to and understand why you should be adding this service to your product portfolio.
