Cedarcom

General

1) What does Fixed Wireless Broadband technology mean?
Fixed wireless broadband technology delivers high speed access wirelessly where internet, data, voice and video travel in two-way transmission mode.

2) What is the bandwidth of the connections on Cedarcom Wireless Broadband?
Cedarcom offers a breadth of high bandwidth connectivity to ISPs, Banks, and Multi- Branch Office companies. Link bandwidth range from 256 Kbps to Nx2048 Kbps. The bandwidth is offered in symmetric and asymmetric modes. The bandwidth capacity is managed remotely.

3) What about the necessary time to upgrade my bandwidth?
Cedarcom's network allows fast upgradeability and high scalability by a push of a button from our NOC. Unlike incumbent local wireless or wireline operators, our equipment is totally remotely manageable.

4) Where is the Cedarcom's Coverage?
Cedarcom provides global coverage for all major Lebanese cities.

5) How fast can Cedarcom install Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) at the Customer business location?
Cedarcom provides easy and quick installation thanks to the Non-Line of Site (NLOS) capabilities & "plug and play" features. Our installation team is committed to installations within 72 hrs of receiving firm orders. All installation orders are managed through our secure online Intranet Zone where you place your order and receive online feedback on installation schedules.

6) How fast could an average installation be done?
An average installation can take from 2 to 3 hours; certain cases might take longer depending on client requirements.

7) What are Cedarcom's requirements for an installation?
Good earthing (less than 5 Ohms) and UPS.

8) Do weather conditions affect your Services?
No, weather conditions do not affect Cedarcom services. We built our network taking into considerations the weather nature in Lebanon. Our wavelength is transparent and not affected by rain, fog or snow.

9) Can I change easily my Internet or Data connection speed?
Yes, you can increase your bandwidth at any time. Cedarcom provides high scalability to allow unlimited "build as you grow" deployment. To process your upgrade needs, all you need is to log your upgrade requests via our online Client Intranet Zone.

10) Can someone tap the traffic on the air interface of Cedarcom's distribution system?
No, the radio security mechanism implemented does not allow this to happen.

11) Today I have ISDN service. What would I need to migrate my network to Cedarcom?
In case you want to keep your ISDN service as a back-up, additional Ethernet port is required on your router for the main connection of Cedarcom.

12) What are the other differences between Cedarcom's service and other wireless data service providers in Lebanon? In brief Cedarcom offers several valuable advantages including:
-	Cedarcom network offers True Broadband connectivity.
-	Cedarcom offers MPLS based IP-VPNs.
-	Cedarcom has tailor made products for the Banking, ISP, and Multi-branch office companies.
-	Cedarcom offers online Client Intranet Zone to manage your installations, trouble tickets, financial statements and online monitoring of your services.
-	Cedarcom offers more reliability and availability due to robust protected backbone with Dynamic Routing via our MPLS network.

13) What charges will Cedarcom's customers incur in? Cedarcom's charges are based on:
-	A one-time set-up fee for the hardware installation and software configurations of the Client Premise Equipment. This is a one time charge.
-	Connectivity Monthly Recurring Fee which is dependent on the selected product, speed and number of sites.
In general, Cedarcom is price conscious and offers more value for your money.

14) Can we interconnect our LAN directly to Cedarcom CPE?
Cedarcom's CPE seamlessly be connected to your LAN.

15) Does Cedarcom provide LAN, email and Web hosting services?
Cedarcom's supreme goal is to provide broadband data services and last mile solutions to ISPs, Banks and multi-branch office organizations. Our aim is not to provide hosting, web or email services. However, Cedarcom has a recommended ISP list for you to choose from who offer premier internet based services.

16) Does Cedarcom provide internet access?
No, Cedarcom only transports the Internet traffic going from the ISP to the client.
Cedarcom is connected to several ISPs, and does recommend some of them as recommended in the Cedarcom WebSite.

17) How should I get my internet access from?
Cedarcom has a preferred list of ISPs in Lebanon, of which you are welcomed to choose your
internet services from www.cedarcom.net

18) What differs your CPE from other data providers?
Cedarcom CPE has broadband throughput of up to 8 Mbps, includes routing, NATing.
It is managed remotely from our NOC and we can upgrade your service or downgrade it remotely without disturbing your presence and even we can remotely change the frequency
if needed.

19) Do we need a router in every office we interconnect together?
Cedarcom network includes embedded routing capabilities on every CPE, thus reducing the need for any client routers at your office. The CPE has Ethernet port that is directly plugged into your LAN. However, in certain applications like Banking or for managed services, we do recommend the use of router for encryption.

20) What frequency do you use?
Cedarcom has been licensed by Ministry of Post and Telecom to use frequencies of 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz for point to multi-point applications and 7 GHz for point-to-point links.

21) Why should I use the Intranet Zone for?
If you are a Cedarcom client, you will be given access to the Cedarcom Intranet Zone (CIZ). Depending on the privileges set for you, at CIZ you will be able to monitor the local loop, request maintenance, request upgrade, review your financial statements, etc.

About MPLS

22) What is MPLS?
Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) has become the trend technology for providing virtual private network (VPN) services worldwide. MPLS is being used to engineer the core network more easily and efficiently (traditional MPLS and MPLS traffic engineering), to provide VPN services (MPLS-VPN), and to facilitate quality of service (QoS) across a network core (MPLS-DBP). All major carriers offer MPLS based services like Equant, Infonet, Cable & Wireless, AT&T, BT Ignite, Telia, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, WorldCom, MCI, NTT, Versatel, Teleglobe, etc. Click to go to MPLS reference presentation and download files at:
www.cedarcom.net/mpls.asp

23) What are the benefits of MPLS?
Cedarcom MPLS network combines the benefits of both layer 2 switched networks and IP layer 3 networks.

Layer 2 networks advantages: security and fast switching.

Fast Switching: MPLS backbone routers switch based on MPLS labels, not on IP addresses. This makes switching faster and more efficient.

-	Security: MPLS networks offer equivalent security by implementing MPLS VPN. MPLS VPN divides every backbone router into multiple virtual routers. This means that every customer has a separate and independent routing table on the provider backbone.
-	Fast Switching: MPLS backbone routers switch based on MPLS labels, not on IP addresses. This makes switching faster and more efficient.

Layer 3 networks advantages: dynamic networks

Layer 3 networks offer extra flexibility and permit dynamic routing to be deployed. In case a remote router becomes unreachable due to a link failure, dynamic protocols ensure that traffic uses another route to get to its destination. All this happens seamlessly without human intervention. MPLS does provide this dynamic feature since it uses MPBGP (Multi-protocol BGP) to generate forwarding tables.
Such features are not available in FR or ATM based networks, where all routing is statically configured!

24) What differs MPLS based services from Frame Relay/ATM/Leased Line based ones?
It is widely considered that FR/ATM/LL based services as reliable but not scalable.
MPLS has the best of both worlds: Privacy and Quality of Service of ATM and Frame Relay + Flexibility and Scalability of IP.

25) Which data providers have deployed MPLS based services or have MPLS as their core network?
Cedarcom is the ONLY data operator providing MPLS based services in Lebanon.
However, major worldwide carriers offer MPLS based IP VPNs and services like: Equant, Infonet, Cable & Wireless, AT&T, BT Ignite, Telia, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, WorldCom, MCI, NTT, Versatel, Teleglobe, etc.
www.cedarcom.net/mpls.asp

26) MPLS based networks compared to L2VPN networks (frame-relay and ATM networks):
MPLS networks rely on MP-BGP (multi protocol BGP) in order to generate forwarding tables.
The combination of MPLS and MPBGP gives Cedarcom the ability to dynamically shift traffic from the main route to an alternate one, in case the main route fails. This is a clear advantage over L2VPN networks that require human intervention on the backbone, in order to change the statically configured routes.

27) Is it true that MPLS is not secure like Frame Relay?
NOT TRUE!
MPLS based IP-VPNs provide EQUIVALENT security to Frame Relay without requiring the use of Encryption.
Click to download independent security report

28) What is the worldwide trend in data communication in the world?
MPLS is a reality and taking over the data communication markets. This is what global carriers say:
Infonet says MPLS VPNs are winning 60% of the RFPs.
Cegetel says 80% of the requested quotes are MPLS. 20% are Frame Relay.
Ovum market research forecasts that MPLS VPN will outtake IPSec VPN by more than double.

29) Do all banking applications work on Cedarcom network?
Yes, Cedarcom network, and specifically through the MPLS component, is able to manage different traffic and protocol types in a controlled manner. This means that different CoS is available to each application based on application type (real time, best effort, mission critical, etc), needed capacity, etc.

30) What is MPLS CoS (Class of Service) and how does it affect my service?
Class of service is a technology that classifies traffic into different categories, based on specific criteria. Each category will be allocated a different bandwidth share and a different priority. Cedarcom can classify traffic based on the following:
- layer 2 mac address source or destination.
- layer 3 IP address source or destination.
- layer 4 tcp, udp ports or icmp traffic type.
In other words, the administrator can make sure that its time-sensitive applications will have reserved bandwidth, and will not be delayed by bandwidth hungry applications, such as downloads and ftps.
Cedarcom offers 5 different CoS as per worldwide trend.

31) Cedarcom uses an MPLS VPN backbone, how can I make sure my routes don't get mixed with some other customer's routes?
MPLS IP-VPN ensures this will not happen. MPLS IP-VPN divides Cedarcom routers into multiple virtual routers. Each virtual router will carry the routes of one customer (one VPN). Every customer will thus have a separate routing table in Cedarcom backbone routers.

ISP Clients

32) Why do I need local loop of 256Kbps when all I contracted from my ISP only 64 or 128 Kbps?
It is very simple, we believe in true broadband connectivity. Today the ISP market still works under legacy narrowband mode, and mainly due to the extremely high cost of internet bandwidth. However, we designed the network in a manner to allow ISPs to use properly their cached content and offer it to their clients (you in that case) at broadband speeds. So what happens, assuming the ISP is Cedarcom Broadband Compliant (CBC), the ISP must have certain caching facilities programmed in a way to offer you cached content at speed of 256 Kbps, while in case you request information that is not cached, the ISP will fetch it to you at the speed of your contracted internet bandwidth of 64 or 128 Kbps.
The same applies also for peering content. If your ISP of choice if CBC, and in your office some people are downloading their emails, while others are browsing the web, the local email traffic will not block the internet traffic.

33) Do I still need to use a downlink dish to receive high speed internet access?
Assuming today you have contracted 64 Kbps up and 256 Kbps down from your ISP of choice. Most likely your connectivity looks like this: Your LAN is connected to the ISP via last mile service provider at speed of 64 Kbps used mainly for uplink service. There is a download dish on your rooftop, connected to your LAN via PC and DVB/IP card.
This creates several points of failure on your network and little bandwidth control tools. Possible points of failure might include: PC freezing, dish moving, loss of signal due to weather conditions, LNB failure, last mile provider failure, ISP failure, satellite provider failure, router failure, ISA failure, etc. This is a lot of management and support. Also there will be little or no graphing of your true usage.
The Cedarcom solution is simple and very cost effective: One connection from your LAN to your ISP of choice, configured in symmetric or asymmetric mode at the speed of your contracted bandwidth. If the ISP is Cedarcom Broadband Compliant, the ISP would be able to offer you One Stop Shop - with 1 installation fee, 1 recurring fee, and eliminate all the above points of failure.

Banking and MBO Clients

34) What is the delay average from my Beirut office to my Tripoli office?
You should experience average delay of 45 ms for traffic running from Beirut to Tripoli.
This is ideal to run all your real time applications.

35) Will I be able to run all IP applications on Cedarcom network?
Sure, Cedarcom network supports the TCP/IP protocol. This means all IP traffic and all IP encapsulated packets can be switched through our network.

36) Cedarcom as MPLS IP-VPN provider knows which IPs the customer is using; does this create any security breach or problems?
No. Knowing the IP Subnet is not considered as a security breach at all. Cedarcom will only know about complete subnets, and not the IP addresses of specific hosts.
However, IP-VPN of client Z is never be accessed by client Y. There is a TOTAL separation between different VPNs.
Further we recommend IPSec encryption to be deployed from branch A to branch B. This will allow maximum data transfer security.

37) How do you compare the above with a network based on FR or ATM?
From a perspective of comparing Cedarcom MPLS IP-VPNs to that of other FR or ATM, both operators will be able to see the IP Addressing of a client VPN. Again, this is not important only overall subnets are seen and not specific host IP addresses.
Even on FR and ATM based networks, it is recommended for clients to run IPSec between branch A and B.

38) I will connect my network to an Ethernet port on the WAN side, isn't this a potential security breach?
No there is none. Cedarcom offers Ethernet based Wan connection because it support broadband speeds exceeding 2 Mbps. Serial ports have a speed limitation of 2Mbps. The Ethernet port on the SU is thus functioning as a point-to-point link and not a broadcast media.