Siemens,Newbidge,3COM and USA Global Link:
USA Global Link Partners With Siemens to
Build Integrated IP Over ATM Network
Platform; Initial Contract to Purchase Vital
Backbone Switching Equipment
01:00 p.m Sep 21, 1998 Eastern
BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 21, 1998--USA
Global Link (www.usagl.com), a leading pioneer in the provision of
discount international telecommunications and Web-based
e-commerce services, has selected Siemens Telecom Networks
(www.siemens.com) for network infrastructure central to USA
Global Link's deployment of the Global InterNetwork(SM), the
world's first truly integrated SS7 and Internet Protocol (IP)-based
global telecommunications network.
After signing an extensive contract previously with 3Com
Corporation for Voice-over-IP (VOIP) gateway switches, USA
Global Link recently signed an initial contract with Siemens for the
purchase, finance, design and deployment of five EWSD(R) central
office switches, Siemens / Newbridge MainStreetXpress(TM)
36170 Multiservices switches for asynchronous transfer mode
(ATM) transport, and the InterXpress 2000 carrier-grade IP
telephony solution.
"Our contract with Siemens marks USA Global Link's second major
stride in establishing the sophisticated technology architecture of our
Global InterNetwork deployment," says Mark Baker, CEO. "Our
first step was to secure 3Com as our technology partner for VOIP,
and now Siemens completes the equation by providing us with
world-class SS7/ATM backbone capabilities that are fully integrated
for IP-based telecommunications services. Siemens, 3Com and
USA Global Link form the real-world foundation of a dynamic
vision for advanced global communications services."
The Siemens products covered by this initial $12 million contract
will serve as the hardware and software technology core of the
Global InterNetwork's five International Switching Centers (ISCs)
in Denver, New York, London, Seattle and Tokyo. The ISCs will
serve as hubs for regional telecommunications traffic, routing
international traffic to and from customers throughout the world over
the company's high-speed fiber-optic backbone. Additionally, the
ISCs will serve as the focal point for the regional sales and
marketing efforts of the Global InterNetwork portfolio of voice,
data, fax, video and multimedia services to residential, business and
carrier customers. The Denver, Tokyo and London ISCs will also
serve as network operations centers (NOCs) for complete network
management.
The Siemens InterXpress 2000 platform, built upon the Total
Control Hub from 3Com, will allow USA Global Link to offer
customers cost-effective communications via voice and fax over IP.
The most comprehensive suite of solutions available for
carrier-grade IP telephony deployment, the InterXpress solution
includes full PC-to-PC, PC-to-phone and phone-to-phone IP
telephony support. The product range includes gateways and
gatekeepers that mediate traffic between the IP network and the
public switched telephone network (PSTN) and back-end network
services to authorize/authenticate, route and rate IP telephony calls.
Management and customer-care servers provision, bill and operate
the service.
"USA Global Link was the first telecommunications company in the
world to announce the deployment of a global IP-based telecom
network," said Dr. Christopher W. Hartnett, founder and chairman
of the company. "This contract represents the beginning of an
important relationship for both companies. Partnering with Siemens
for the core network technology will allow us to fully implement the
potential for convergent voice and data services over one network
that our announcement in 1997 promised."
"USA Global Link is one of the true innovators among the emerging
service providers in telecommunications," said Fred Fromm,
president and CEO of Siemens Telecom Networks. "With this
contract, USA Global Link will take advantage of Siemens' global
presence to implement leading-edge services on an international
scale."
The Siemens EWSD switch, the world's leading switching system,
is a robust platform with the flexibility and scalability to address the
Global InterNetwork's demanding and diverse voice, data and
networking communications needs. USA Global Link will be able to
provide a complete range of services, including local dial tone,
asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), integrated services digital
network (ISDN) and multimedia services.
The Fast Feature Platform(TM) (FFP) from Siemens is a database
server that allows rapid customization and commercialization of
premium advanced intelligent network (AIN) services such as
prepaid debit card, international call back and one number service.
The FFP is highly scalable and can be expanded as the demand for
AIN services increases.
The MainStreetXpress 36170 switch is a scalable, high-capacity
ATM platform. Because of its flexibility, the switch can provide
services such as video support, frame relay and circuit emulation.
The MainStreetXpress 36170 switch offers interfaces ranging from
sub-T1 speeds to OC-12, growing to OC-48, and features such as
ATM Forum-compliant Inverse Multiplexing over ATM (IMA) and
switched virtual circuits (SVCs).
About USA Global Link
Through its worldwide network of approximately 4,750 sales
representatives, USA Global Link, Inc., a privately-held company,
has pioneered the provision of telecommunications and e-commerce
services to customers in more than 170 countries and territories.
Since 1992, USA Global Link, Inc., has been one of the leaders in
alternative, innovative global telecommunications strategies,
including: international callback, deeply-discounted international
long-distance, Global 800(SM) toll-free numbers, phone-to-phone
Internet telephony and wholesale carrier's carrier least-cost routing
Global Refile(SM) services. USA Global Link also offers
full-featured corporate travel and prepaid calling card programs.
With its Global ITSP(SM) (Internet telephony service provider)
program, an Internet telephony turn-key solution for ISPs and
carriers, and new Instant Call Button(SM) service, a Web-based
e-commerce tool, the company has secured a leading position in the
Internet/telephony integration services arena.
First launched in March 1997, USA Global Link's Global
InterNetwork(SM) is the world's first international, facilities-based
communications network based on Internet Protocol (IP)
technology. When this ubiquitous multi-billion dollar high-speed
fiber-optic and wireless network is fully deployed, practically every
major city in the world with a population in excess of 500,000, will
host a Global MetroPoP(SM) switch, delivering cost-efficient data,
voice, fax, video, and broadband multimedia services. The company
has partnered with 3Com Corporation and Siemens Telecom
Networks to meet the advanced technology demands of the Global
InterNetwork deployment.
USA Global Link, Inc., has been a prominent player in introducing
increasing competition into the international telecommunications
marketplace through its active membership in the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, Switzerland, and the
U.S. Department of State's International Telecommunication
Advisory Committee (ITAC). The company is a founding member
of the Voice on the Net Coalition (VON Coalition), and the
European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA), in
which it holds a board seat. USA Global Link, Inc., is
headquartered in Fairfield, Iowa, with its network operations center
(NOC) in Denver, Colo., USA.
About Siemens Telecom Networks
Headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla., Siemens Telecom Networks is a
leading provider of telecommunications solutions to the public
network service providers in North America. The company designs
and manufactures digital central office switching equipment, access
network solutions, broadband switching systems, wireless
solutions, end-to-end multimedia solutions, Internet solutions,
network management products and transmission products. Siemens
Telecom Networks is a subsidiary of Siemens AG.
Telecommunications and networking accounted for more than 20
percent of Siemens AG's sales of $64 billion in the fiscal year ended
September 1997.
Siemens and EWSD are registered trademarks of Siemens AG.
InterXpress is a trademark of Siemens AG.
Fast Feature Platform is a trademark of Siemens Telecom Networks.
MainStreetXpress is a trademark used by Siemens and Newbridge
for
comprehensive solutions in broadband communications.
Global InterNetwork, Global Refile, Instant Call Button, Global
MetroPoP, Global ITSP and Global 800 are registered service marks
of USA Global Link, Inc. All other product or service marks
mentioned herein are those of their respective owners. All rights
reserved. |
