Mountain Solutions Selects Cisco to Launch Voice-over-IP Services
November 18, 1998
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)
Cisco AS5300 Universal Access Servers, Cisco 3600 Modular
Access Routers and CiscoSecure to Enable High-Quality Voice
Services over Digital Network
Cisco Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO) today announced that Mountain Solutions, a leading telecommunications provider, has selected the Cisco AS5300 Universal Access Server, Cisco 3600 Modular Access Router and CiscoSecure software to provide long-distance flat-rate voice and fax telephone services.
The enhanced Mountain Solutions network will support voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), allowing end users and carriers to access a range of new IP-based services, including IP telephony and IP facsimile. Mountain Solutions, which recently formed a separate company, MSLD, for its flat-rate long distance business, has begun beta testing the new services in Colorado cities and Los Angeles, and will help to usher in new cost-effective phone services for consumers nationwide in 1999.
Mountain Solutions maintains that flat-rate long-distance services will offer more cost-effective telephony services to consumers than the traditional per-minute charges offer. "Our new IP telephony solutions will provide our customers with an excellent alternative to traditional circuit switched networks," said Jeff Smith, CEO, Mountain Solutions. "Cisco offers a superior end-to-end product solution, including excellent voice quality, and is the obvious choice for a long-term partnership."
"Mountain Solutions is moving aggressively to fulfill customer demand for lower cost telephony services," said Ian Landy, vice president, Telephony Internet Services Unit at Cisco Systems. "With Cisco's new-world open telephony architecture, Mountain Solutions can deliver new services by deploying a scalable, next-generation, packet-based network nationwide network. "
The Mountain Solutions Network
When fully deployed, the Mountain Solutions IP network will handle approximately 3 million minutes per month for telephony services. Mountain Solutions will offer a phone-to-phone interface, so that consumers can place long-distance calls using their accustomed phone user interfaces.
Mountain Solutions will also offer points-of-presence (POPs) in the Los Angeles area for international carriers needing U.S.-based gateways. International and domestic carriers will benefit from cost-effective interconnect charges, including lower fees for access and message compression advantages.
Cisco AS5300 Access Server
The Cisco AS5300 is designed to support the growing volume of dial-in connections to service providers and corporate networks. It delivers near-line-speed performance for as many as 120 concurrent analog modem calls and ISDN B channels over a single dial-in telephone number.
As the next-generation universal access server, the Cisco AS5300 raises the bar for performance in high-traffic, real-world environments. The AS5300 is powered by Cisco IOS(R) software which provides next-generation functionality to build scalable, reliable and secure networks that support leading edge solutions such as VoIP.
The Cisco AS5300 VoIP gateway is a high-performance H.323-compliant gateway optimized for VoIP applications. Supporting up to 2T1/E1 digital channels, it connects with existing telephones and fax machines through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), key systems and PBXs, making the process of placing calls over the IP network transparent to users.
According to Mier Communications, a networking consultancy and product-test center, which tested the voice/fax feature cards for the Cisco AS5300, " The quality of voice, under normal network operating conditions, is the best of any VoIP product we have tested to date."
Cisco 3600 Modular Access Router
The Cisco 3600 series is a family of modular, multifunction access routers for medium-sized and large offices and smaller Internet service providers. With more than 50 modular interface options, the Cisco 3600 family provides solutions for voice/data integration, virtual private networks (VPNs), dial access, and multiprotocol data routing.
Using Cisco voice/fax network modules, the Cisco 3600 series allows customers to consolidate voice, fax and data traffic on a single network infrastructure. The high-performance, modular architecture of the Cisco 3600 series protects customers' investments in network technology and integrates the functions of several devices into a single, manageable solution.
About Mountain Solutions
Mountain Solutions has been dedicated to bringing low-cost communications to its Colorado customers since 1992. Voice Mail and Metro Transfer Service are among the flat-rate services currently offered. Digital Metro Transfer service allows crisp, clear access between major Colorado calling areas, including Denver, Fort Collins, Greeley, Colorado Springs, and the Vail/Summit County area.
|
