TCG rolls out enhanced Frame Relay services that expand portfolio of services to target down market customers; enhanced data services based on switches from Cascade Communications Corp.
Business Wire - May 05, 1997 17:09
FINANCIAL TELEPORT-COMMUNICATIONS TCGI CALIFORNIA NEVADA DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COMED COMPUTERS ELECTRONICS TELECOMMUNICATIONS TRADESHOW V%BW P%BW
Networld+Interop '97 Booth No. 1417, North Hall
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 1997--At the Networld+Interop '97 show today, Teleport Communications Group (TCG) (NASDAQ:TCGI), the nation's first and largest competitive local exchange carrier, announced the availability of an enhanced set of Frame Relay services targeted for customers seeking turnkey LAN-interconnect and hybrid Frame Relay/ATM solutions.
In addition to traditional Frame Relay services, TCG will now also offer managed Ethernet over Frame Relay services and Frame Relay-to-ATM service interworking. The Ethernet over Frame Relay services are ideal for customers seeking LAN interconnect services at a lower price than high-speed transparent LAN services. Frame-to-ATM service interworking is targeted for those customers who require seamless Frame Relay-to-ATM solutions to interconnect smaller branch offices and remote locations to larger data center and headquarters facilities. These services are branded OmniStream Frame Relay services.
"To this point, TCG has focused on the higher end of the customer spectrum when offering an advanced set of data solutions in the metropolitan area marketplace," said Ken Walters, TCG's vice president for Data Services. "With this announcement, TCG significantly expands its data services capability to serve lower bandwidth networking requirements and offers customers an easy migration path from Frame Relay to ATM-based services."
The move to specifically target the rapidly growing small business segment with TCG's data services mirrors the company's telephony strategy to introduce its brand of service and competition to smaller users with different business requirements.
TCG utilizes a three-tiered architecture for its infrastructure which includes a core ATM switching infrastructure, an access switching layer and a service layer. TCG will employ B-STDX 9000 Frame Relay Multiservice switches from Cascade Communications Corp. as its access switching platform for Frame Relay-based services.
"Cascade is a worldwide leader in offering the most comprehensive set of Frame Relay solutions today, and is currently utilized by many of the largest network service providers, which will facilitate network to network interfaces between TCG and other carriers," continued Walters.
The Cascade Frame Relay switch will complement TCG's existing infrastructure of ATM switches from Cisco Systems and Fore Systems.
"While most carriers are only now getting into ATM-based services, TCG has been an established leader in offering a broad suite of broadband services for a number of years," said Bob Machlin, vice president of marketing at Cascade Communications Corp. "TCG is in a unique position to offer the full spectrum of solutions from 56 kbps Frame Relay to ATM OC-12c UNI services. We are extremely pleased that TCG selected Cascade for its core Frame Relay platform as TCG continues to expand its service offering in this high-growth, data networking market."
TCG's enhanced set of Frame Relay services will initially be available in the metropolitan areas of Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, Sn Francisco and Seattle. Nationwide deployment will follow to other strategic markets and in response to customer demand. Currently, TCG offers data services in 60 plus LATAs.
"We will differentiate our services relative to the competition with value-added functionality and through our ability to offer a wide breadth of seamless solutions," said Dev Ittycheria, TCG's senior product manager for Data Services. "In addition, the pricing of our services is competitive with similar services offered by the incumbent local exchange carrier. Our Ethernet over Frame Relay service is a premium service compared to our traditional Frame Relay services since intelligent customer premise equipment is included and it is a fully end-to-end managed service."
In addition to focusing on smaller users, TCG is evaluating long-haul data networking opportunities on both the Eastern and Western seaboards along with other locations via TCG-owned and operated fiber optic networks.
"Through strategic acquisitions and network developments, TCG has connectivity from Boston to Washington, D.C., and from Los Angeles to San Diego, which positions us to satisfy the inter-city application requirements of our larger customers," Walters said.
Along with OmniStream(SM) Frame Relay services, TCG also offers OmniLAN(SM) services, a set of high speed transparent LAN services that support the full complement of LAN protocols, and OmniStream ATM services, native ATM UNI services offered at DS-3, OC-3c, and OC-12c port speeds.
TCG (NASDAQ:TCGI) is the nation's first and largest provider of local telecommunications services including high-speed data services, Internet access and web hosting, basic telephone service and private line connections. TCG operates in 57 major markets and, with the development of eight new networks in 1997, will expand into 65 markets. For more information, please visit TCG's web site at tcg.com or TCG's N+I '97 Booth No. 1417 in the North Hall.
Cascade (NASDAQ:CSCC) is at the forefront of broadband data communications with its family of scalable, carrier-class Frame Relay, IP, ATM and Remote Access switching products. Used by public carriers and Internet service providers worldwide, Cascade products are forming the foundation of the public network. Further information on Cascade is located at casc.com .
CONTACT: Teleport Communications Group
Tracy Corrington, 510/949-0625
Pager: 800/SKYPAGE No. 120-0078
REPEATS: New York 212-752-9600 or 800-221-2462; Boston 617-236-4266 or
800-225-2030; SF 415-986-4422 or 800-227-0845; LA 310-820-9473
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