Hi Pi,
SBC seems to be on a roll with DSL. I expect it should translate to some sales for WSTL. Do you have any insight from the trenches?
xdsl.com\xDSL\6713.asp
SBC First to Surpass 100,000 DSL Subscriber Milestone
SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 4, 1999-- Fueled by tremendous third-quarter growth, SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE:SBC - ) now is the country's leading provider of high-speed, ''always-on'' Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service. SBC became the first company to sell DSL service to more than 100,000 subscribers when it surpassed this milestone in October.
''Customer demand for SBC's DSL service has been spectacular, and our subscriber base has more than tripled in the last few months,'' said James D. Gallemore, executive vice president of strategic marketing for SBC. ''DSL is emerging as the broadband service of choice for Internet enthusiasts, telecommuters and small businesses. Our service is widely available, affordably priced and provides guaranteed speeds and a level of choice competing technologies cannot match.''
Today, SBC's DSL service is available to nearly 10 million households and businesses. However, SBC soon will reach significantly more customers through the recently announced Project Pronto, a more than $6 billion initiative that will transform SBC into America's largest single broadband provider and create a platform to introduce a host of next-generation, broadband-powered services.
Project Pronto will make SBC's DSL service available to an estimated 77 million Americans - 80 percent of SBC's customers - over the next three years and raise the minimum DSL connection speeds to 1.5 megabits per second (Mbps) and 6.0 Mbps depending on the package purchased. These speeds are up to 200 times faster than typical analog modem speeds, and are approximately four times faster than the current guaranteed minimum connection speeds the company offers.
To better serve its customers, SBC is creating partnerships with national and regional Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and leading computer manufacturers.
''Customers want the freedom to choose the ISP that best meets their needs,'' Gallemore said. ''We're providing this freedom by enabling ISPs to offer SBC's DSL service to their members. We currently have agreements with more than 100 ISPs, and are continually adding more companies.''
In a related announcement (see separate release for details), SBC and Prodigy Communications Corporation, a leading national ISP, today said the two companies have signed an agreement to provide DSL service to Prodigy consumer and business Internet customers in markets where SBC offers DSL service.
SBC also is making ordering and installation faster, easier and more convenient for customers. Customers can order SBC's DSL service over the Internet, and SBC is developing splitterless technologies that simplify installation by eliminating the need for a SBC technician to install a splitter at the customer's premise. In addition, several computer manufacturers are offering PCs equipped with internal DSL modems.
For consumers, DSL's super-fast speeds and always-on connection enable them to experience the full richness and potential of the Internet. For smaller businesses that previously couldn't afford high-speed access, DSL is helping them revolutionize their businesses. A single DSL line can be networked to support multiple users and IP addresses, making it easier and more affordable for an entire office to receive high-speed access. DSL also provides access to technologies and applications similar to what larger companies enjoy, including enhanced e-commerce and web hosting capabilities.
Enterprise customers such as IBM, PeopleSoft and E-TRADE are providing thousands of their employees and end-users with a DSL-powered telecommuting solution that improves work-at-home productivity. From their homes, these telecommuters send e-mails, download software, videoconference with co-workers and react to breaking financial news, all at the lightening-fast speeds employees experience in the workplace.
SBC Communications Inc. (www.sbc.com) is a global communications leader. Through its trusted brands - Southwestern Bell, Ameritech, Pacific Bell, SBC Telecom, Nevada bell, SNET and Cellular One - and world-class network, SBC provides local and long-distance phone service, wireless and data communications, paging, high-speed Internet access and messaging, cable and satellite television, security services and telecommunications equipment, as well as directory advertising and publishing. In the United States, the company currently has 87.3 million voice grade equivalent lines, 10.3 million wireless customers and is undertaking a national expansion program that
will bring SBC service to an additional 30 markets. Internationally, SBC has telecommunications investments in 22 countries. With more than 200,000 employees, SBC is the 14th largest employer in the U.S., with annual revenues that rank it among the largest Fortune 500 companies.
Michael |
