Carrier Point-to-Point (CP2P) Connection

A carrier point-to-point connection (CP2P) is a specific type of point-to-point connection. It is a wholesale service regulated by the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) and provides a permanent link between two communication terminals of a carrier. This point-to-point connection can be used for reliable transfer of digital data at a high bandwidth. Unlike a dial-up connection, the connection does not need to be established prior to use, but is set up directly by the service provider and made available to the carrier.

Applications for carrier point-to-point connections

Carrier point-to-point connections are used in particular for complex applications requiring a high bandwidth and a high availability rate. Many providers use CP2Ps to optimise landlines, for example, or to connect wireless base stations for mobile communication applications to their network. Carrier point-to-point connections with sufficiently high bit rates can also be used to link entire computer centres. This allows the provider to offer services such as cloud telephone systems with high availability and trans-regional redundancy. The carrier client’s data can be transferred securely, quickly and reliably from one point to another.
 

Typical speeds and interfaces of the CP2P

Due to the high number of different carrier point-to-point connections available with differing bandwidths, a variety of technologies and interfaces are used. A CP2P can be established via copper cable, coaxial cable or fibre-optic cables. The possible data rates range from two megabits per second up to 40 gigabits per second and higher. In line with ITU recommendations and IEEE standards, Ethernet, SDH, FICON, FC or OTM interfaces are used. At the respective CP2P terminals, circuit-terminating devices terminate the line and provide the interfaces for connection with the telecommunications equipment. Typical interfaces for point-to-point connections with low bandwidths such as two or 34 megabits per second are G.703/G.704. Point-to-point connections for Ethernet transmission have 10, 100 or 1,000 megabit per second Ethernet interfaces in accordance with the IEEE 802.3 standard. A CP2P providing 40 gigabits per second typically uses the optical transport network interface in accordance with ITU-T G.709.

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