What is a metropolitan area network (MAN)?

A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a network that enables communication across a large area. It is bigger than a local area network (LAN) and smaller than a wide area network (WAN).

What is a metropolitan area network (MAN) and what is it used for?

A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a network that connects multiplecomputers located in a particular geographical area. The area that the network can cover is larger than a local area network (LAN) and smaller than that of a wide area network (WAN).

By using various, individual resources to create a comprehensive network, a metropolitan area network is able to serve the requests of multiple devices that would otherwise have to rely on numerous local area networks. This type of network can serve a few buildings, different branches of a company (provided they are relatively close to each other), a town or single city, or even several neighbouring cities.

Despite its name, a metropolitan area network doesn’t have to be located within a city or connected to one. The name simply refers to the potential scope of the network. MANs can reach up to 100 kilometres, making them suitable for rural areas as well.

International telecom companies have relied on the foundational principles behind metropolitan area networks since the 1990s, using them as an alternative to conventional telephone networks. MANs can be combined at both a national level within a wide area network (WAN) or even internationally in a global area network (GAN).

How do metropolitan area networks work?

Metropolitan area networks are generally an aggregation of different local area networks, connected to each other using backbone fibre optic cables. Typically, unlit fibre lines (commonly referred to as dark fibre lines) are used to connect the different networks. These are previously unused fibre optic cables that are capable of transmitting data, enabling high data throughput rates.

In addition to telecom companies, more and more municipal providers are setting up MAN technology and renting out the networks to private internet providers at a cost. Universities also use the technology to connect campus buildings that are spread across a city.

MAN technology ensures better networking and is considered to be significantly more durable than alternative options. It also offers high transmission speeds for data traffic. Using a metropolitan area network is generally more cost-efficient than using numerous different local area networks, particularly for high data volumes.