The 10 Gigabit Ethernet Alliance (10GEA) was an independent (not directly related to Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (EEE), although working in collaboration with it) organization which aimed to further 10 Gigabit Ethernet development and market acceptance. Founded in February 2000 by a consortium of companies, the organization provided IEEE with technology demonstrations (including, for instance, a May 7, 2002 demonstration in Las Vegas, in which a 200 plus kilometres 10Gb Ethernet network was deployed, using 10GBASE-LR, 10GBASE-ER, 10GBASE-SR and 10GBASE-LW ports, as well as presenting communication over the IEEE 802.3ae XAUI interface) and specifications. Its efforts bore fruit with the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) Standards Board's approval in June 2002 of the