Many metropolitan regions have installed metropolitan (metro) transport networks to provide high-bandwidth connectivity between local subscribers and their ISPs, onwards to a larger packet-based service network, such as the Internet. Each subscriber typically contracts with any of a number of Internet service provider (ISP) networks connected to the metro transport network, and each ISP network provides an anchor for communication sessions for the subscribers and manages network services for the subscribers such as authentication, accounting and billing.
The subscribers may utilize a wide variety of devices to connect to the ISP networks to access resources and services provided by the Internet. For example, subscribers typically utilize desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile smart phones and feature phones, tablet computers, Smart TVs and the like. The metro transport network typically provides layer two (L2) switching mechanisms for transporting packet-based data between the subscribers and their respective ISPs such that IP (layer three—L3) communication sessions can be established for the subscribers at the ISPs for communicating with resources beyond the ISP, such as content data networks or the Internet.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds