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Cha-ching! Another satisfied CSCO customer!
Planet Online Selects Cisco to Help Dixons Launch Innovative Free Internet Service in UK
biz.yahoo.com
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 25, 1999--
Planet Online, Europe's Largest Web Services Firm, Relies on
Cisco AS5300 Universal Access Servers to Help Launch
Freeserve, the UK's First Free
Full-Featured Internet Service
Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced that Planet Online, a UK backbone Internet Service Provider and Europe's largest web services firm, has selected the Cisco AS5300 Universal Access Server to
provide dial-up Internet access for Dixons' Freeserve, an unprecedented free Internet service for UK-based consumers.
The Freeserve service has prompted over 900,000 registered accounts to log on to the Planet Online network in less than four months. In anticipation of the demand, Planet Online placed volume orders for
the Cisco AS5300 Universal Access Server to supplement its previously deployed Cisco-Powered Network, and has created the world's largest known multi-chassis multilink live network in the world, in
excess of 150 Cisco access servers.
Planet Online cited several reasons for its selection of the Cisco AS5300 Universal Access Server, including its 10/100 Fast Ethernet capability, modem/ISDN support and the superior scalability and support
offered by Cisco equipment.
A wholly owned subsidiary of Energis plc, which is one of the UK's largest national telecom companies, Planet Online has teamed with the Dixons Stores Group, the UK's largest electrical retailer, to help it
launch the Freeserve service. Freeserve, which is wholly owned by Dixons, is the UK's first fully featured Internet service available for free, with no registration or subscription fees and no hourly on-line
charges. Freeserve customers pay only a normal charge for a local rate telephone call.
In addition to Freeserve, Planet Online services over 2500 companies by hosting their web sites and services within the Planet Network Operations Center, Europe's largest high-security web farm. Planet
Online has already deployed a large number of Cisco AS5300
Universal Access Servers, including both modem and ISDN dialup, as well as Cisco 7500 series routers, the Cisco Catalyst® 5500, and the LightStream® 10/10.
''With the Freeserve Internet service, we've gone from no users to over 700,000 active users in under four months, and we're adding new users daily,'' said Ian Rhodes, network operations manager, Planet
Online. ''We obviously have placed huge demands on the network, but with the high density and performance of the AS5300 we've been able to scale to accommodate this capacity requirement.''
John Beaumont, Planet's Managing Director, stated, ''We chose Cisco to deliver this innovative network because of the reliability of the equipment and the end-to-end quality of service made possible by
deploying Cisco.''
''Planet Online is impressive in its dedication to top quality and service, and has quickly leapt to the forefront among UK-based Internet Service Providers,'' said Berton Keith, product line manager, High End
Remote Access Solutions for Cisco. ''UK consumers will greatly benefit from Planet Online's services for Dixons' Freeserve.''
Cisco AS5300
The Cisco AS5300 is designed to support the growing volume of dial-in and voice connections to service providers and corporate networks. It delivers optimum performance for as many as 60 voice sessions
or as many as 240 concurrent analog modem calls and ISDN B channels over a single dial-in telephone number. As the next-generation Cisco universal access server, the Cisco AS5300 raises the bar for
performance in high-traffic, real-world environments.
About Planet Online/Energis plc
Energis plc, the telecommunications company focused exclusively on the business marketplace, built its national network primarily along the National Grid's electricity pylon infrastructure. The company has
over 6,500 kms of fiber optic cable installed throughout England and Wales, a capacity sharing agreement with Scottish Telecom and an international license. Energis offers businesses a full portfolio of
national and international services together with value-added Internet and intranet services. These services include innovative telephony services, advanced Frame Relay and ATM for data transmission and
enhanced voice services such as local rate, national rate and freephone. energis.co.uk
Planet Online is a wholly owned subsidiary of Energis, having been acquired by Energis in August 1998. It was formed in July 1995 with the specific objective of providing high performance Internet and
intranet solutions to the corporate business market. theplanet.net |
