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Technology Stocks : Voice-on-the-net (VON), VoIP, Internet (IP) Telephony -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Frank A. Coluccio who wrote (1130)	8/18/1998 11:17:00 PM
From: Frank A. Coluccio	Respond to of 3178

Data Net To Get Voice -- Equant, SITA Tap Cisco To Upgrade Global Network August 18, 1998 INFORMATIONWEEK via NewsEdge Corporation : The operators of the world's largest data network have teamed with Cisco Systems Inc. to integrate voice into their data network. Equant NV and SITA (Societe Internationale de Telecommunications Aeronautiques) signed an agreement last week to work with Cisco to roll out voice-over-frame relay services in 40 countries by year's end. The partners also plan to develop voice-over-IP services with Cisco. "Equant is seeing more customers who want one supplier for voice and data, " says Bruce Berenson, president of Equant Americas. SITA, a cooperative that provides services to the airline and travel industries, shares its network covering 220 countries and territories with Equant, which provides data services to nontravel business customers. Equant has already used Cisco equipment to test a voice-over-frame service in 15 cities. For many companies, costs are the real driver toward using voice-over-frame relay. "There's a perception that we can reduce or contain costs and make voice and data a better bang for the dollar," says Dennis Thomas, manager of enterprise network services for electronics manufacturer Tektronix Inc. in Wilsonville, Ore. Tektronix plans to start testing the Equant service in the next two months. Although Thomas says he doesn't know how much Tektronix can save, he hopes to use the service in Asia-Pacific locations, where international calls can cost several dollars a minute. By sending voice on a frame relay network instead of the public voice network, customers can slash voice telecom costs by as much as 60%, says Rick Malone, an analyst with Vertical Systems Group Inc. "Voice-over-frame is really great for international traffic," Malone says. Equant is the third-largest global supplier of frame relay services and the first to offer a global voice-over-frame service, according to Vertical Group. Equant plans to target customers that have a router on site and a dedicated connection to the Equant network. The three companies will also work together to enhance Equant's data services, including dial-up services, encryption, and virtual private networks. Says telecom analyst Jeffrey Kagan, "Equant seems to have the global, seamless voice and data network of the future that AT&T and Sprint are talking about building." Copyright - 1998 CMP Media Inc. <<INFORMATIONWEEK -- 08-17-98, p. PG26>>