| A metropolitan area network
(MAN) is a network that interconnects users with computer resources in a
geographic area or region larger than that covered by even a large local
area network (LAN)
but smaller than the area covered by a wide area network (WAN).
The term is applied to the interconnection of networks in a city into a
single larger network (which may then also offer efficient connection to a
wide area network). It is also used to mean the interconnection of several
local area networks by bridging them with
backbone lines. The latter usage is also sometimes referred to as a
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| Examples of metropolitan
area networks of various sizes can be found in the metropolitan areas of
London, England; Lodz, Poland; and Geneva, Switzerland. Large universities
also sometimes use the term to describe their networks. A recent trend is
the installation of
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