WorldCom today introduced what it claims is the first comprehensive suite of Ethernet services permitting U.S. businesses to access their corporate networks, the Internet, and network-based applications. WorldCom's Ethernet services allow customers to cost-effectively and easily update existing networks, quickly establish high-capacity connections to multiple locations, and achieve new business capabilities.
"WorldCom is setting the stage for significant advances in enterprise networking," contends Brian Brewer, WorldCom's chief marketing officer. "With WorldCom's Ethernet services, companies can increase the functionality of their existing networks while sweeping aside technological barriers to future business applications and information asset management that will be made possible by continued advancements in Ethernet technology. We envision a day when workers will be able to plug into an Ethernet port and gain ubiquitous access to all of their business applications."
WorldCom's Ethernet services provide a range of solutions--Internet Dedicated Ethernet, Internet Dedicated Gigabit Ethernet Port Only, Metro Private Line Ethernet, Wide Area Private Line Ethernet, and Enterprise Ethernet Metro Services--all tailored to meet customers' specific bandwidth, security, and performance requirements.
WorldCom plans to offer Ethernet services wherever it operates metropolitan fiber networks. Metropolitan and Private Line Ethernet services, initially deployed utilizing Nortel Networks Optical Ethernet technology, are immediately available in 84 U.S. markets. Ethernet services to access the Internet or establish Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections are offered in major metropolitan markets, including New York, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, San Jose, Northern Virginia, and Washington DC. Additional markets will be added based on customer demand.
According to the company, its extensive SONET footprint allows the company to offer high-speed Ethernet services and bring new facilities online quickly with the reliability of self-healing circuits. In addition, WorldCom Internet Dedicated Ethernet customers can connect to the company's far-reaching IP backbone--which spans six continents with more than 3,800 Points of Presence (PoPs).
"We believe retail metro Ethernet services revenue is set to increase sharply over the next five years, reaching over $4 billion by 2006," asserts Marian Stasney, senior analyst at the Yankee Group. "WorldCom's Ethernet services meet the demand that is clearly there. With an extensive SONET footprint and more than 6000 lit buildings, WorldCom is poised to offer cost-effective Ethernet solutions and to bring customers on-line quickly."
For more information about WorldCom (Clinton, MS), visit the company's Web site at www.worldcom.com.