USA Global Link Partners With Siemens to Build Integrated IP Over ATM Network Platform
[All, this release spells out the architecture that other large carriers will follow soon. It is the most emblematic of the large VoIP architectures I've seen to date, and it most resembles, almost in an uncanny way, the one my firm specified last year for another venture, taking all of the realities of business into account, and the requirements to interact with the global community of other common carriers and PTTs. That's what happens when you put theological issues aside for a moment, for the sole purpose of attacking the established source of user minutes in a manner that is both backwards and forwards compatible.
The one difference is their use of a Siemens model EWSD switch platform. At the time I don't think that Siemens was programmable in design. But effectively, they are now doing the same thing through the EWSD Fast Feature Platform, or FFP, as a means of achieving programmable switch architecture capabilities, i.e., fast SS7/AIN feature deployment, found in the XLSW and SUMA architectures. The latter, at the time, were our switch choices, and of course, each of these platforms and others like them have now paired up with TCP/IP vendors such as CSCO and others. Note this carrier's acknowledgement and preparedness to accommodate DSL techs, as well.
Regards, Frank Coluccio ]]
Monday September 21, 1:00 pm Eastern Time
Initial Contract to Purchase Vital Backbone Switching Equipment
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 IPtelephony 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.
Contact:
Media Contacts:
USA Global Link:
Mark Petrick, 515/469-7403
mpetrick@usagl.com
or
For USA Global Link products or services information:
515/472-1550
or
Siemens:
Tom Phillips, 561/955-3670
thomas.phillips@stn.siemens.com
or
Robert Bartolotta, 561/955-3140
robert.bartolotta@stn.siemens.com
or
For Siemens product information:
800/814-1680
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