AT&T adds Internet services to Network on Demand offering

AT&T says it will offer Managed Internet Service on Demand in "select U.S. cities" this fall. The new service joins Switched Ethernet Service as an offering on the carrier's Network on Demand platform.

As is the case with the switched Ethernet product, the Internet service will leverage network functions virtualization (NFV) to both provide customers with the ability to add or tweak service levels in near real-time and to do so without having to host router hardware at their locations.

AT&T is using software-defined networking (SDN) and NFV technology from Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) and Juniper Networks (NYSE:JNPR) for both Network on Demand services. In separate press releases, the two companies both cited virtualized customer premises equipment as key enablers of the services.

The carrier debuted its Network on Demand capabilities in September 2014 (see "AT&T touts SDN-based business services"). Since then, AT&T says it has made the service available in more than 170 U.S. cities and signed more than 200 customer contracts.

The service provider said it plans to expand the cities in which it offers Network on Demand services, as well as the services roster. It did not provide details of these plans.

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