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(COMTEX) WorldCom Announces: UUNET Offers Customers Nationwide 56Kbps
WorldCom Announces: UUNET Offers Customers Nationwide 56Kbps Internet Dial
Access Support; New Service Represents Broadest Deployment of 56K Technology
FAIRFAX, VA. (Nov. 17) BUSINESS WIRE -Nov. 17, 1997--In response to
customer needs for faster access to the Internet, UUNET Technologies,
Inc., the world's largest Internet service provider and a subsidiary of
WorldCom, Inc., today announced support for 56Kbps analog dial across
the United States.
The feature is available immediately in 415 Points of Presence (POPs)
throughout UUNET's Dial Access Network, representing the widest
deployment of 56Kbps dial technology to date. In addition, UUNET
expects to deploy another 85 POPs throughout the U.S. by year end.
UUNET's dial customers, as well as its resellers' users, now can take
advantage of faster access to the Internet. UUNET's resellers include
America Online, EarthLink Network Inc., GTE Internetworking and MSN,
The Microsoft Network.
"UUNET offers 56K as an efficient, cost-effective solution for the
increasing number of dial-up users requesting higher Internet access
speeds," said Alan Taffel, vice president of marketing and business
development at UUNET. "Customers benefit from improved performance,
faster download times and a better Web browsing experience, all at no
additional cost."
UUNET has deployed the K56flex implementation of 56Kbps analog dial.
K56flex is designed to allow access speeds of up to 56 kilobits per
second (Kbps) over standard analog telephone lines. UUNET's
implementation provides end-users connection speeds that on average are
70 percent higher than what is attained using V.34 modems.
The new service is intended to meet the increasing access speed
requirements of dialup users such as small businesses, organizations
with remote employees and resellers who support dialup end users. With
56Kbps support, UUNET also will support V.34 speeds up to 33.6Kbps.
All current UUNET analog dial products will support 56Kbps, including
Alterdial, ExtraLink Remote, Internet 9-5 and VIP Reseller Dial.
UUNET Chooses K56flex from Ascend and Rockwell UUNET's 56Kbps dial
support is based on remote access concentrators from Ascend
Communications, which utilize Rockwell modem integrated circuits. An
industry-wide standard for 56Kbps modems does not currently exist, but
is expected in early 1998. Once a standard is defined, UUNET will have
the ability to upgrade its 56Kbps service accordingly. Users' customer
premise K56flex modems will be similarly upgradeable at no cost. "Our
implementation, and our customers' investment in modem equipment, can
be migrated to the new standard," Taffel said. Pricing and
Availability
UUNET will provide 56Kbps dial access at no additional cost to UUNET
dialup users. UUNET will offer 56Kbps CPE as part of its dial
offerings. The feature is immediately available in the United States.
About UUNET Technologies and WorldCom
UUNET Technologies, Inc., www.uu.net, is the world's largest provider
of Internet services and is a subsidiary of WorldCom, Inc. It offers a
comprehensive range of access options, World Wide Web hosting services,
security products and consulting services to businesses, professionals,
and on-line service providers.
The company's network is comprised of more than 1,000 Points of
Presence (POPs) throughout the United States and in Canada, Europe and
the Asia-Pacific region, as well as connections to Internet service
providers around the world.
Founded in 1987, UUNET is recognized as the first commercial Internet
service provider. WorldCom, www.wcom.com, is a global business
telecommunications company. Operating in more than 50 countries, the
company is a premier provider of facilities-based and fully integrated
local, long distance, international and Internet services. The common
and depositary shares of WorldCom trade on the Nasdaq National Market
(U.S.) under the symbol WCOM and WCOMP, respectively.
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CONTACT: UUNET/WorldCom
MEDIA RELATIONS
Mara Radis, 703/206-5441
Steve Ingish, 402/231-3423
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