Ethernet has evolved through a number of iterations to support increasingly higher speeds. The evolution has progressed through Fast Ethernet (1995), Gigabit Ethernet (1998) and 10 Gigabit Ethernet (2003). Ethernet is defined for a variety of physical media, such as category 5 copper, multi-mode fiber and single-mode fiber. Ethernet is a key technology for high-performance broadband networks and common industry wisdom is "never bet against Ethernet." The cornerstone of the Ethernet value proposition is simple interoperability through well-defined standards and low cost through high volumes.
