Hyperconnectivity, a predicted phenomenon that will see each of us possess ten different network connection devices by 2010, represents both a challenge as well as an opportunity for Service Providers. To grasp the opportunity that Hyperconnectivity represents, Service Providers must evolve their networks to provide massive amounts of bandwidth, while at the same time simplify their networks to drive down capital and operating costs.

At the applications and services layer, IP has already emerged as the key enabling technology for convergence. Due to its dominance in Local Area Networks (LANs), Ethernet would seem to be the most likely contender, but traditional Ethernet lacks certain key attributes for use in the Wide Area Network (WAN).

This paper discusses how Metro Ethernet, a carrier-grade technology that extends traditional Ethernet from the LAN into the WAN, has emerged as a leading alternative to traditional Ethernet, allowing Service Providers to simplify their network infrastructures, just as Hyperconnectivity threatens to swamp them in complexity.