SAN FRANCISCO -- With the mission of acceleratingadoption of optical Ethernet as the technology of choice in metro networksaround the globe, the recently-formed Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) todayannounced that it has surpassed a membership milestone of 50 companies inless than three months. Since its launch in June, the non-profit Forum hasattracted members from the Who’s Who of the communications andtelecommunications industries, including leading service providers, majorincumbent local exchange carriers, top network equipment vendors and otherprominent networking companies.“The fact that we have reached more than 50 members so quickly makes twodramatic points. First, there is tremendous market demand for opticalEthernet-based products and services targeted at the metro market; andsecond, vendors and service providers believe in working together to satisfythis demand,” commented Nan Chen President of the Metro Ethernet Forum andDirector of Product Marketing at Atrica, Inc.Metro Ethernet Forum