The hottest issue in telecom today is how to solve the Metro Area bandwidth bottleneck–with SONET being the solution tha appeals to most telecom companies. But to compete against Ethernet, SONET will need plenty of fine-tuning. This book will help service providers compare their options and fully understand what is really necessary to give current SONET installations "next generation" capabilities.* Shows how to achieve new-generation features with enhanced SONET and other optical architectures* Compares SONET’s features and services with rival Ethernet-based offerings* Offers design approaches and business models for real-world deployments* Covers GMPLS generalized MPLS), a red-hot switching technology for wavelength services In 2001 the telecom industry spent money on solving the Metro Area bandwidth bottleneck. SONET appeals to the telcos because it is widely deployed, reliable, robust, and scalable. But it will need multiple changes and enhancements to compete against the emerging rivil–Ethernet.