XO Communications today announced enhancements to its Ethernet product portfolio intended to extend the reach of its copper-based Ethernet offering and make higher speeds more affordable to its customer base.

Based on its experience deploying the Hatteras Networks’ Ethernet over copper technology, XO now is offering service to businesses within 11,000 feet of a point of presence or collocation spot, said Brent Spooner, director of product management for data services at XO. In addition, XO will now offer services at incremental speeds of 20 Megabits per second, 30 Mb/s, 40 Mb/s, 50 Mb/s, 60 Mb/s, 70 Mb/s, 200 Mb/s and 500 Mb/s. Previously, XO offering Ethernet at three speeds – 10 Mb/s, 100 Mb/s and One Gigabit per second.

“This lets our customers buy bandwidth more in line with what they require,” Spooner said. The additional reach of XO’s Ethernet over copper offering will enable XO to reach about 18% more customers with the service.

“We were very conservative at first,” in limiting its sales to customers within 9000 feet of an XO facility, Spooner said, in order to make sure customers weren’t disappointed and XO could deliver service in a quality way. After working with the Hatteras gear over time, and running a field trial at higher speeds, XO now feels confident extending the service reach.

In addition, XO announced it is upgrading its Ethernet infrastructure to enable the company to begin offering VPLS service that will deliver Ethernet with classes of service, probably beginning in 2009, Spooner said.

“We are taking steps to begin to offer that,” he said. “It will be a major focus in 2009. We are very much focused on enhancing, improving, and continuing to stay ahead of the marketplace – in footprint and reach and technology.”