(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 6, 1999-- e.spire Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:ESPI -
news), the communications company for the networked economy, announced today that it has completed a 194-mile
long-haul data, Internet and voice network that connects its existing metropolitan-area fiber-optic networks in New York
City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC/Northern Virginia.
Together these assets, which include a total of 650 route miles of fiber-optic cable,four Lucent 5ESS-2000 voice
switches, four Newbridge MainStreetXpress ATM switches, and 12 Bell Atlantic colocations, provide e.spire with some
of the most robust and extensive local and long-haul communications capabilities in the northeast United States.
e.spire-owned and -operated fiber route miles in the northeast corridor now extend from as far north as Putnam County,
NY, north of Westchester County, to as far south as Dulles, VA, near Dulles International Airport and southwest of
Washington, DC, and cover all major metro areas in between.
``With the installation of the long-haul piece and the creation of an extensive northeast regional network, e.spire is now
perfectly positioned to meet the exploding demand for bandwidth and advanced communications solutions in this dynamic
area of the country,' said e.spire Chairman and CEO Anthony J. Pompliano. ``This milestone exemplifies e.spire's
dedication to providing our business customers with the leading-edge products and technology that are required to thrive in
today's networked economy.'
e.spire's long-haul network uses advanced Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology that multiplies
the traffic carrying capacity of existing fiber spans by combining two or more signals of different optical wavelengths on a
single fiber.
With this technology, e.spire can carry up to 32 tightly-spaced wavelengths of light on a single strand of fiber - enough
capacity, in total, to support four million simultaneous voice-grade-equivalent (VGE) circuits or standard voice telephone
lines.
``The optical DWDM technology allows e.spire to significantly increase its network capacity without incurring the cost of
adding fiber,' said Pompliano. ``For e.spire, this means a state-of-the-art network at a lower cost. For our customers, it
means access to high-speed, reliable communications solutions that can grow in concert with their needs.'
e.spire has deployed Nortel Networks' 2.5 Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) optical networking systems, plus Nortel
Networks' Multi-Wavelength Optical Repeater (MOR) and the open-DWDM system.
The long-distance DWDM backbone is capable of supporting inter-city connectivity of multiple services, including private
lines, IP, ATM, frame relay and voice traffic, and the network is scalable to 320 Gbps per fiber, the highest commercial
capacity currently available.
In addition to its northeast assets, e.spire operates local fiber-optic networks in 34 other metropolitan markets, including:
Albuquerque, NM; Amarillo, TX; Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Baton Rouge, LA; Birmingham, AL; Charleston, SC;
Chattanooga, TN; Colorado Springs, CO; Columbia, SC; Columbus, GA; Corpus Christi, TX; Dallas, TX; El Paso, TX;
Fort Worth, TX; Greenville, SC; Irving, TX; Jackson, MS; Jacksonville, FL; Kansas City, MO; Las Vegas, NV;
Lexington, KY; Little Rock, AR; Louisville, KY; Miami/Fort Lauderdale, FL; Mobile, AL; Montgomery, AL; New
Orleans, LA; San Antonio, TX; Shreveport, LA; Spartanburg, SC; Tampa, FL; Tucson, AZ; and Tulsa, OK.
e.spire Communications, Inc. is a leading integrated communications provider, offering traditional local and long distance,
Internet access and Web-hosting services, and advanced data solutions, such as native ATM and frame relay.
In addition, e.spire's subsidiary, ACSI Network Technologies, Inc., provides third parties, including other communications
concerns, municipalities and corporations, with turnkey fiber-optic design, construction and project management expertise.
For more information on e.spire, contact espire.net.
Contact:
e.spire Communications, Inc.
Investor Relations
John Polchin, V.P. and Treasurer, 301/361-4417
john.polchin@espire.net
or
Media Relations
Peggy Disney, Director, Corporate Communications
301/361-4259
peggy.disney@espire.net |
