re: Softswitch - it's more than just voice over the 'net
"Level 3 Communications and America Online Expand Relationship"
biz.yahoo.com
Tuesday April 25, 7:02 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Level 3 Communications, Inc.
BROOMFIELD, Colo., April 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: LVLT - news) and America Online (NYSE: AOL - news) today announced they have signed a new, long-term network services agreement. The new deal expands and extends the companies' original agreement, announced October 21, 1999.
Under terms of the agreement, AOL will expand its use of Level 3's managed modem and network connection services, making Level 3 a significant provider to AOLnet, the largest dial-up network in the world.
``AOL continues to be a premiere player in the Internet services market and an important Level 3 partner,'' said Don Gips, group vice president, Global Marketing and Sales for Level 3. ``Level 3 has pioneered new technology for providing access, and we're happy to work with AOL to make Level 3's revolutionary softswitch-based managed modem service a significant part of AOLnet.''
``We are pleased to expand our relationship with Level 3,'' said Geraldine MacDonald, vice president for AOLnet operations. ``Our goal at AOL has always been to provide our more than 22 million members with the best possible online experience, and Level 3's innovative, high-quality managed modem infrastructure allows us to do that.''
Level 3 introduced its softswitch-based managed modem service in 1998 and currently processes more than three billion minutes per month. Managed modem was the first Level 3 product to utilize softswitches to control and process calls. Softswitches are software control systems pioneered by Level 3 to provide Internet service providers (ISPs), application service providers (ASPs) and other Web-centric companies with services that combine the innovation and cost advantages of IP networks with the reliability and ubiquity of telephone networks.
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*Softswitches are advanced software based switching systems that enable Level 3 to provide services combining the best features of the Internet and traditional telephone networks.) |