Copyright 2004 ESPICOM Business Intelligence Ltd.
Espicom Business Intelligence
April 15, 2004
From LexisNexis
Verizon Communications has completed the deployment of the company’s national broadband network and plans to offer advanced data and voice services to large business, government, and education customers, starting later this month.
The new network, part of Verizon’s Enterprise Advance growth initiative, features an IP backbone. It connects and extends Verizon’s metropolitan and regional networks and leverages the company’s direct connections to customer locations.
Verizon networks total approximately 9.7 million fiber miles in major metropolitan areas around the U.S., which, according to Verizon, is more than any other carrier in the country.
“The completion of the broadband network transforms Verizon into a full-service, national provider of communications services to large public and private-sector enterprises,” said Eduardo Menasce, president, Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group. “The IP backbone leverages the ubiquity of Verizon’s local networks and extensive portfolio of metropolitan access technologies and enables the company to offer enterprise customers new advanced data services nationwide.”
The IP backbone uses multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) technology to create a versatile network that enables customers to use their existing communications systems to take advantage of advanced services without having to purchase new equipment. In addition, the IP backbone supports convergence — the transport of a customer’s voice, video, and data applications over a common network infrastructure. Verizon also offers local network access technologies including frame relay, ATM, and transparent local area network service (TLS).
Since announcing the Enterprise Advance growth initiative in November 2002, Verizon has completed construction on nine regional rings connecting the company’s local networks and launched national services. The company has also invested to enhance customer service delivery systems for provisioning and billing to support customers on a national basis.
By mid-May 2004, Verizon plans to launch national services, such as IP-VPN and national TLS. IP-VPN provides the foundation for enterprise VoIP service scheduled for launch later this year. Quality of service (QoS), end-to-end management, and service-level guarantees will be offered with these new services.
Verizon’s new national backbone and associated metropolitan and regional networks include more than 200 links in 56 markets. The backbone’s core consists of routers in 13 cities: Atlanta; Boston; Chicago; Denver; Dallas-Fort Worth; Los Angeles; New York; Newark, New Jersey; Philadelphia; Reston, Virginia.; Seattle; San Francisco; and, Tampa, Fla.
