Tuesday January 14 12:19 PM EDT
Southwestern Bell Introduces New High-Speed Route for Internet Call Traffic
SBC Chairman Says Breakthrough Solution Relieves Growing Concern of Network Congestion by Routing Voice Calls One Way, Data Calls Another
SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- SBC Communications Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Edward E. Whitacre Jr., announced to a group of financial analysts in California today that the company has introduced a first-in-the-nation technology to head off the growing concern of phone network congestion.
Internet/Intranet Transport Service (IITS), which will be marketed under the Southwestern Bell brand, is a technology breakthrough that expands network capacity, increases the speed and reliability of consumers' Internet connections and decreases network congestion and costs for Internet service providers (ISPs).
IITS increases network capacity by splitting the phone network into two traffic lanes. Internet calls -- "data calls" -- now are automatically diverted from the existing network and routed to a new, high-speed network. Traditional phone calls -- "voice calls" -- still are delivered over the existing network. Currently, data and voice calls are shuttled over the same infrastructure.
"We are enthusiastic about the prospects for this product and the benefits it brings to our customers," said Whitacre. "It is a clear indication of our commitment?to maintaining an advanced network."
The need for such a solution has arisen with the emergence of the Internet. Calling volume for ISPs nationwide is growing at r? of 150-200 percent annually. Additionally, the average length of an Internet call is at least five times as long as a traditional voice call.
Because ISPs no longer will be competing with voice callers for network access, the result is consistently faster and more reliable data connections for consumers. IITS also enables ISPs to reduce capital investments and equipment needs. For instance, because IITS includes modem termination, ISPs can significantly reduce or eliminate their expensive and time-consuming modem pool operations.
"This is the breakthrough for which customers have been yearning -- a virtual fork in the phone network that will empower them with faster, more reliable Internet connections," said Van Taylor, president of Technology Resources Inc., the technology development arm of SBC Communications. "IITS moves Southwestern Bell closer to the implementation of a full-service data network from which to offer a host of data services."
How It Works
IITS recognizes data calls and redirects them at the originating switch. The calls then are sent to the appropriate ISP over an Internet transport link at speeds of 1.544 Megabits per second (Mbps) or 44.736 Mbps using packet technology.
Redirecting data traffic off of the voice network using packet technology, which is designed to handle it efficiently, is an economical alternative to building additional capacity into the voice network. With packet technology, a user ties up a circuit only when data is transmitted, whereas the voice network keeps the circuit open for the duration of a call.
Customer Trial
Southwestern Bell has been trialing its IITS for several months with several ISPs in Dallas and Ft. Worth.
Southwestern Bell also recently began selling IITS to ISPs in 12 major market areas throughout its service area: Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston, San Antonio, St. Louis, Kansas City, Topeka, Wichita, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Little Rock. Other Southwestern Bell markets in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas will follow this year.
IITS was created and developed in conjunction with Northern Telecom (Nortel).
Southwestern Bell is a brand of SBC Communications Inc., one of the world's leading diversified telecommunications companies and the second largest wireless communications company based in the United States. SBC's subsidiaries provide innovative telecommunications products and services under the Southwestern Bell and Cellular One brands; wireless services and equipment in the United States and interests in wireless businesses in Europe, Latin America, South Africa and Asia; cable television in both domestic and international markets; and directory advertising and publishing. SOURCE SBC Communications Inc. |
