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Technology Stocks : Ascend Communications (ASND) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Pigboy who wrote (59713)	2/4/1999 6:59:00 AM
From: Glenn D. Rudolph	Respond to of 61433

ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1999 FEB 3 (NB) -- By Sylvia Dennis, Newsbytes. Yet another firm has announced plans to create a national voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network in the US. This time it's Internet Global Services (iGlobal) and, thanks to a deal with Ascend [NASDAQ:ASND] to supply the hardware, plans to deploy phase one of its network to cover 50 US cities in just 120 days. The network deployment will cost the firm millions of dollars, but the Texas Internet service provider (ISP) says that, by tapping Ascend's MultiVoice for Max technology, it can rapidly roll out its network. According to iGlobal, as part of the plans, it has also signed a multi-year contract with Ascend's Global Integration Services (GIS) division to provide lifecycle network services, which involves network planning, design, implementation and management. The first phase of the network should be in operation in the 50 cities by the end of April, Newsbytes understands, but iGlobal says that trial VoIP services are already operation in Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin, all in Texas, as well as Denver, Colorado. Interestingly, iGlobal is not limiting its network plans to the US. It says it wants to extend its VoIP services into Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific in the second half of this year, to allow customers access to low-cost international routes. Michael Gorton, iGlobal's chief executive officer (CEO), said that the firm has been testing its hardware and software systems, which will be marketed under the Telares brand name, for the past 18 months. For the technically-minded, the initial implementation of iGlobal's MultiVoice VoIP network involves 50 Max 6000s and eight BSTD-X 8210s for a frame relay and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone. iGlobal says it will manage and provision for its Telares VoIP services using the Ascend NavisCore and NavisAccess network management products. Newsbytes notes that, in parallel with the Telares project, Ascend and iGlobal have also agreed to collaborate on another VoIP project known as the Virtual Second Line (V2L). This software-enabled service will allow an online PC/modem customer to route voice calls across their Internet connection. According to Gorton, the V2L service will be a cost-effective alternative to installing a second line, so a call is not missed while online. "The V2L service installation is completed online so this will improve service installation efficiency and minimize customer delays. Our new multi-service offering will accomplish what two lines do today for about a third of the cost," he explained.