Typical Siemens application of its EWSD telef. switch, Newbridge ATM and 3COM. NewUSA Global Link Partners With Siemens to
Build Integrated Global IP Over ATM
Network Platform
Initial Contract to Purchase Vital Backbone Switching
Equipment
FAIRFIELD, Iowa, and BOCA RATON, Fla., 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.stn.siemens.com) for network
infrastructure central to USA Global Link's deployment of the
Global InterNetwork, 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®
central office switches, Siemens / Newbridge
MainStreetXpress 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 (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). |
