This feature is very common with Internet connections but a small number of service providers also allow burstable bandwidth on an MPLS connection. It is a fantastic feature for a company with seasonal or periodic high-bandwidth needs, especially for their hub site, if centralizing network resources. For instance, do you have a busy season or month when your network resources could really use more MPLS connectivity?

A few MPLS service providers are taking the burstable access concept to the next level and allowing clients, via an online portal, to make adjustments to their MPLS bandwidth in real-time. You log into their portal and simply slide the “bandwidth bar” up or down like a volume control! The caveat is that you can only adjust it as fast as your access type allows (i.e. if you have a DS3, you can’t adjust it above 45M).