New Edge Networks Expands to Arkansas With High-Speed DSL Internet Access for Little Rock, NWA Homes and Businesses
VANCOUVER, Wash., Sep 7, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- New Edge Networks today announced its high-speed Internet
access over ordinary phone wires is available now in two major Arkansas business centers -- the Little Rock area and from Fort Smith to Rogers in the state's northwest corridor.
Businesses and consumers in 10 Arkansas communities will have the benefits of high-speed Internet access using New Edge Networks' digital subscriber line (DSL) technology and a choice of providers.
The leading national wholesale broadband services provider in small, midsize and semi-rural markets, New Edge Networks
offers residential and business-class DSL services through local, regional and national Internet service providers. In Arkansas, Aristotle Internet Access and Futura Internet are providing DSL powered by New Edge Networks.
Available now in Little Rock, in the coming weeks the company will offer DSL service in Cabot, Conway, Jacksonville and Russellville in central Arkansas, and Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Springdale and Rogers in the northwest corner of the state. New Edge Networks also plans to provide DSL services in Jonesboro.
"We're taking the benefits of the rapidly growing e-commerce market to people who choose to live in smaller communities
where demand for high-speed Internet access is as strong -- if not stronger -- than in urban areas," said Mark Day, general manager -- Central Region for New Edge Networks. "Once a business tries DSL and sees Web pages almost instantly pop open on their computers, they're hooked. High-speed access expands their ability to compete and succeed, and for telecommuters and consumers it forever changes their Internet experience."
Analysts project that up to 50 percent of businesses with fewer than 20 employees will have broadband access within five years. For businesses with under 100 employees, the projection jumps to three out of four having broadband access.
New Edge Networks currently provides high speed Internet access in nearly 350 central office locations, representing more than 160 cities and towns in 19 states. In addition to its operating locations, New Edge Networks has installed DSL network equipment in 160 other locations bringing to more than 500 the total sites in 27 states. Work is progressing on 600 additional locations in all 50 states. New Edge Networks first launched DSL service in its home state of Washington last fall.
DSL service provides access to the Internet and corporate data networks over standard telephone lines at guaranteed speeds of 1.5 million bits per second or faster compared to 28,800 or 56,000 bits per second through dial-up modems.
Business-class
DSL transmits and receives at the same speed and is ideal for large graphic, text, audio and video file exchanges, company networking and collaborative functions.
Other benefits include continuous "always on" connections that eliminate dialing up, busy signals, waiting and disconnects during downloads; secure access using dedicated facilities; and reliability because the network is monitored around the clock.
New Edge Networks's national network also can provide enhanced broadband services, and it eliminates the need for an ISP to have a local physical presence and capital spending that discourages or delays investments for offering new broadband services in smaller cities and towns.
For business customers with dedicated leased lines from the local telephone company, business-class DSL technology generally provides the same speed at half the monthly cost. Monthly DSL rate offerings range among Internet service providers and generally include the monthly ISP access charge, local telephone charges, plus unlimited usage.
About New Edge Networks
Based in Vancouver, Wash., New Edge Networks was founded in June 1999 to provide wholesale DSL service nationally in
small, midsize and semirural markets. The company's Central States regional office is located in Dallas and serves Texas, Oklahoma Arkansas and Louisiana. New Edge Networks is authorized to provide service in 48 states and plans to offer service in all 50 states in 2001.
Top-tier private venture firms, global financial institutions and worldwide technology firms provide financial backing to New Edge Networks. These include: Accel Partners, Comdisco Ventures, Crosspoint Venture Partners, Goldman Sachs & Co., Greylock, Intel Corporation, Meritech Capital Partners, and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter.
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