What is the primary function of a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)?

The primary function of a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is to connect various Local Area Networks (LANs) within a single metropolitan area. This type of network typically spans a range of several kilometers and is designed to facilitate communication and data transfer among different systems over a larger area than what a LAN would cover but is not as expansive as a Wide Area Network (WAN).

By interlinking multiple LANs, a MAN supports high-speed data transfers and provides a shared communication infrastructure that can be used for a variety of applications, including internet access, inter-organizational communication, and other network services across a city or a specific geographic region. The ability to connect different LANs enables organizations and institutions within the same metropolitan area to share resources and collaborate more effectively.

The other options focus on functions or technologies that do not accurately characterize the role of a MAN. For example, providing internet access over wide geographic regions pertains more to WANs than to MANs, and operating small area networks using Bluetooth technology is specific to personal area networks (PANs) rather than wide-scale regional networks. A central point for all computing activities suggests a different type of network architecture, typically associated with server-client networks, rather than the connectivity role of a MAN.