The IEEE 802.3ah specification for Ethernet in the First Mile was unanimously approved as an IEEE standard by the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) Standards Board. The process included specifying new interface types for Ethernet over fiber optic and copper media along with new OAM mechanisms for managing Ethernet subscriber networks.
The Ethernet in the First Mile project had perhaps the largest scope of any IEEE 802 standard ever undertaken, according to the Ethernet in the First Mile Alliance (EFMA), which promotes the technology.
The ratification of the IEEE 802.3ah standard came in conjunction with the first ever interoperability demonstration of EFM technologies by EFMA member companies at SUPERCOMM 2004 in Chicago. The EFMA demo showcased technologies from the four EFM sub-task areas, including:
- Point-to-point copper
- Point-to-point fiber
- Point-to-multipoint fiber (EPON)
- Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM)
