FREMONT, Calif. –– The Ethernet in the First Mile Alliance (EFMA) today announced that the final milestone in the IEEE standards approval process was reached today when the IEEE 802.3ah specification for Ethernet in the First Mile was unanimously approved as an IEEE standard by the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) Standards Board.

“The completion of the IEEE 802.3ah EFM standard significantly expands the range and reach of Ethernet transport for use in the Metro and Access networks,” said Craig Easley, President of the Ethernet in the First Mile Alliance and Director of the Service Provider Marketing at Extreme Networks. “This new standard gives service providers a variety of flexible and cost-effective solutions for delivering broadband Ethernet services in Access and Metro networks. Service providers can now focus on providing critical services to their market without worrying about interoperability conflicts.”

The Ethernet in the First Mile project had perhaps the largest scope of any IEEE 802 standard ever undertaken. Specifying new interface types for Ethernet over fiber optic and copper media along with new OAM mechanisms for managing Ethernet subscriber networks required tireless effort from individuals representing over 100 companies.

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE)

Ethernet in the First Mile Alliance (EFMA)