Ethernet First Mile (EFM) is a cost effective, reliable business broadband option offering symmetrical connection speeds of either 10Mbps download /10Mbps upload or 20mbps download/20mbps upload .
The Ethernet First Mile service achieves these high symmetrical speeds by bonding multiple copper lines together and is perfect for applications requiring high-speed data delivery including General Internet use, Virtual Private Networking, Video Conferencing and VoIP / IP Telephony.
The way Ethernet First Mile connections are being used today differ greatly across customers, everything from primary internet services, to dedicated VoIP/Video data lines and for dedicated, high-speed data delivery that is separate to general internet use.
How Ethernet First Mile works
EFM works by utilising multiple copper lines (pairs), bonding them together to deliver higher access speeds. To make the magic of bonding come together, specific hardware is used at each end of the connection to allow the bonding to occur. A specific EFM modem is required at the customer premises (supplied by innoTel) which presents an 'ethernet' port to the customer for connection to a router.
What are the advantages of EFM?
EFM is a symmetrical service where the download and upload speeds are the same. In comparison, typical ADSL connections offer theoretical upload speeds as high as 3Mbps, however this is generally much less.
Ethernet First Mile is a dedicated service with a 1:1 contention ratio. This means you are not competing with other customers for speed or bandwidth, unlike traditional ADSL services.
EFM has the added benefit of bonding lines together means that if one copper pair has a fault or its quality is reduced, you will generally retain connectivity at a slower speed rather than losing connectivity altogether.