Cisco Unveils GlobalDSL Strategy for ISPs

Cisco Systems Inc. Tuesday unveiled its global broadband strategy to help service
providers take digital subscriber line services to market.

The Cisco (CSCO) strategy, dubbed GlobalDSL, is designed to allow access providers to
increase revenues by expanding their markets into broadband services. The
program attempts to eradicate barriers to DSL deployment by simplifying IP
and ATM service solutions, extending independent ISPs market and service
reach, and provide high-speed mobile DSL access.

Enzo Signore, Cisco DSL marketing director, said overcoming the obstacles
that ISPs endure while deploying high-speed services would help access
providers tap into a lucrative market segment.

“The total access market, including dial-up, ISDN, cable, DSL and wireless,
is forecasted to have over 50 million subscribers in North America by the
year 2003,” Signore said. “The DSL market is predicted to have around 10
million subscribers in the same timeframe.”

“By overcoming obstacles that have impeded the widespread growth of DSL,
the Cisco GlobalDSL strategy will enable service providers to more quickly
and broadly deploy high-speed services over DSL,” Signore added.

Ron Westfall, Current Analysis,
Inc.
senior analyst, said Cisco’s GlobalDSL strategy is just the stimulant
ISPs need to deploy DSL services.

“Cisco’s GlobalDSL strategy offers clear benefits to service providers
worldwide, not just in the way of services and reach, but also in scale,”
Westfall said. “The GlobalDSL strategy puts Cisco in a position to be the
major catalyst for a DSL mass market.”

The foundation for the Cisco GlobalDSL strategy is its IP DSL Switching,
which is powered by Cisco IOS software. The switching tandem allows service
providers to deploy a new caliber of premium, managed IP plus ATM data,
voice and video services for business and consumer applications over a
single access network.

Cisco contends its breakthrough platform is a step above ATM-based and
frame-based DSLAMs currently being deployed. The switching system is the
crux of its three-part global DSL deployment strategy.

First, Internet service providers need to increase their portfolio of
broadband DSL services in order to retain customers as standard dial-up
services become commoditized. The Cisco DSL switches enable ISPs to
competitively differentiate their high-speed services and increase customer
loyalty and revenue.

Removing distance barriers of DSL services is the second barrier that Cisco
can help ISPs overcome. Currently, the DSL subscriber market is largely
under-served because of distance barriers from the central office or the
lack of the right equipment to deploy high-speed services. Cisco’s
multi-service applications are designed to cover virtually all of the
addressable DSL market.

Third, Cisco’s strategy addresses DSL mobility so end-users can enjoy the
benefits of broadband access when traveling or connecting from other
locations.

Curtis Price, Stratecast Partners
program director, said mobility is an essential service to provide
customers if DSL is going to breakout as a mainstream high-speed service.

“If DSL is to be a mass market, mobility is key,” Price said. “DSL has to
possess the characteristics that have made dial access so ubiquitous. With
its GlobalDSL strategy, Cisco is taking an active role in addressing the
right criteria for making DSL mobility happen.”

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