Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) and Point to Point Protocol over ATM (PPPoA) are both technologies that offer a PROVIDER the opportunity to roll out broadband services. This document will show why PPPoE should be chosen over PPPoA.

Advantages of a both PPPoE & PPPoA based broadband service:

• End user authentication to the network, forces the end user to authenticate to AAA server before being allowed access to the network.
• Billing options, gives the provider the ability to offer different billing options, by time, by data, unlimited or by services purchased.
• IP address conservation, a provider can limit the number of IPs a specific user can receive or can force a user off the connection at will.
• Trouble shooting, a provider can easily tell what users are on or off on a per user basis.
• Scalable, all authentication, authorization, and accounting can be handled for every user using existing AAA server.
• Invisible to end user, both can be integrated in the Customer Premise Equipment CPE making the connection process invisible to the end user – though we do recommend they stay off the CPE but it is easily DONE and PPPoA is traditionally only on the CPE.
• Service Selection both can be used to offer multiple services and service selection.

Negatives of PPPoA:

• Only a single session per CPE can be established. In PPPoE we offer the ability to log in to multiple services or create multiple sessions all at the same time over the same line.
• CPE setup and access, in general PPPoA must be configured on the CPE itself, PPPoA software is not available on platforms. Either the CPE must support PPPoE or an ATM network interface must be installed in the PC. ATM network interface cards are expensive and both can be difficult for an end user to configure. Once an end user has the ability to configure the CPE it opens up the problem for incorrect configurations making trouble shooting by the provider very difficult resulting in increased support costs.

Positives of PPPoE:

• Brand management, by having the customer use software to log on and off they force the user to see the PROVIDERS brand, logo or company name. Word of mouth is the strongest form of advertising.
• Increased revenue opportunities, with PPPoE we can offer the ability to log in to multiple services or create multiple sessions all at the same time over the same line.
• Ease of support, PPPoE software has troubleshooting and help files built in to the application. If an error occurs the error message can be present to the end user with a possible resolution preventing the customer from ever having to call the provider for help. In PPPoA everything is done in the CPE meaning when a problem occurs the only notification is lights on the CPE which tell a user nothing.
• End User Familiarity, CLIENT side software present users with the familiar look and feel of dial-up which if purchasing a broadband service means they are almost 100% familiar with the dial-up look and feel reducing their learning curve to use the new service.
• Works in existing environment, if a provider already offers an Ethernet based service PPPoE can be implements without changing the existing CPE, as mentioned above PPPoA needs an ATM interface.

Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) and Point to Point Protocol over ATM (PPPoA) are both technologies that offer a provider the opportunity to roll out broadband services. This document will show why PPPoE should be chosen over PPPoA.

Advantages of a both PPPoE & PPPoA based broadband service:

Negatives of PPPoA:

Positives of PPPoE: