The IEEE 802.16 Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) standard is rapidly being positioned as the core technology for next-generation data centric broadband mobile wireless applications. Designed for providing QoS, WiMAX can be used for the implementation of a transport network suitable for real-time applications like Internet access, streaming services, interactive gaming, video-on-demand, and voice-over-IP (VoIP) services. With the introduction of Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e), a new foundation had been set for the emerging 4G networks.

Circuit Emulation Services (CES) is an essential technology to ease the migration towards Ethernet/IP/MPLS networks by protecting the investment made in equipment having TDM interfaces. Therefore the first to realize the need for a cost-effective sync over packet solution were the Metro Ethernet and the Pseudo Wire equipment vendors requiring the clock synchronization performance to meet ITU-T G.823 and ITU-T G.824 clock synchronization standards.

Mobile-TV, Mobile WEB Access, and M-Commerce are amongst the new applications enabled by the deployment of 3G networks. Realizing that current applications as well as next generation applications are to be data oriented applications, mobile service providers  were amongst the first to migrate their existing Radio Access Networks (RAN) to Ethernet/IP/MPLS packet networks.