For more than 30 years, the local area networks (LANs) that enable enterprise business have been built on successive generations of Ethernet technology. Although this technology continues to evolve, the limitations of the twisted pair, copper-based wiring at the heart of the standard are causing some enterprises to look at alternative options for their next-generation LAN infrastructures. Passive optical LAN (POL) technology eliminates the networking limitations imposed by traditional copper-based Ethernet. It addresses the evolving service demands of enterprises with fiber optic cabling that delivers all services on one efficient, high-capacity network. This paper examines the limitations of traditional enterprise networks built on Ethernet technology and presents the benefits of an enterprise-level POL.