Platforms Glossary
Synchronous optical network, or SONET, is a communication framework. It is also an ANSI standard for connecting fiber-optic transmission systems. Originating in the 1980s, SONET establishes interface standards at the physical layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. That allows for the multiplexing of data streams at different rates. SONET only standardizes fiber-optic transmission connections in North America. Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), regulated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), is the international equivalent of SONET.
Phone carriers and telephone companies that use the SONET protocol can benefit small and midsize businesses because this framework can transmit data to greater distances than other standards, helping these businesses offer the same connectivity and network reliability as larger competitors.
