Why Ethernet?
With the implementation of leading edge new technology, Ethernet has escaped from the LAN and is now available on the WAN, eliminating the need for low bandwidth Frame-Relay, inefficient ATM, or expensive SDH.

A WAN based on Ethernet technology provides standardisation on one technology, the elimination of bottlenecks, a single network management system, no inefficient protocol conversions, increased throughput, and improved latency.

Liquid Bandwidth
SotaConnect Ethernet Services are a departure from the fixed and rigid bandwidth options of the past, featuring Liquid Bandwidth, which means that customers can choose exactly how much bandwidth is needed on the network to suit changing communications needs. Bandwidth options range from 1Mbps to 1Gbps.

Ethernet Transport
Ethernet Transport provides low cost point-to-point, or on-net, connectivity between Neos PoP’s. National, Metro and Extended Metro categories of PoP exist to simplify the pricing process (the SotaConnect PoP is classified as Extended Metro). For customers sharing a Neos PoP or co-lo facility a standard Ethernet RJ45 connection is provided enabling the use of Liquid Bandwidth anywhere in the UK.

LAN Extension
Any organisation not sharing a Neos PoP location or co-lo facility can connect to the nearest Neos PoP via an Ethernet LAN Extension tail circuit. This can usually be provided using fibre optic circuits or wireless microwave or free-space optics. This is the ideal solution for branch to head office, head office to data centre, and regional HQ to regional HQ connectivity, with all the benefits of Liquid Bandwidth.

Quality of Service
SotaConnect Ethernet Services via the Neos Network ensures Quality of Service (QoS) for your applications. By using Layer 2 networking technologies the full benefits of MPLS-based Quality of Service can be realised, with sub-50ms latency to support the most demanding voice or video applications. Building on the strengths of Ethernet, SotaConnect Ethernet Services offer Quality of Service prioritisation that you can rely on.

Security
Customers receive dedicated ports. MAC addresses are used for Admission and Delivery Control to provide leak-proof connections. Intrusion protection alerts at the Neos NOC, spoofing lock-outs, compatibility with IPSEC and VPN, as well as a physically secure core network are just some of the security features offered.

Support
SotaConnect Ethernet Services are offered with a range of service features including network monitoring and management and valuable service level agreements (SLA’s). Technical support is provided by the SotaConnect technical support team and 24x7 via the Neos Network Operations Centre (NOC).

Pricing
The price of a solution based on SotaConnect Ethernet Services is usually determined by a combination of standard Ethernet transport costs and tail circuit costs. Our pricing tools enable fast calculation of all set-up fees and annually recurring costs based on any number of locations and the bandwidth required. We aim to respond faster than any other carrier can.