Aiming assist remote employees’ work output, IXC Communications, Inc. Tuesday announced plans to begin a six-month field trial of a new high-speed IP-over-cable voice and data service on May 17.
The Austin, Texas, trial will focus on reducing latency and quality of service
capabilities usually associated with remote access technology. Remote
office services being tested will employ virtual private networking
initiatives to enable remote workers guaranteed bandwidth for advanced
voice and data communications, directly to homes via cable modems.
IXC said that to facilitate this process it will incorporate its nationwide
fiber optic network with Cablevision of Lake Travis’s high speed cable
modem service powered by Softnet’s ISP Channel. IXC and ISP Channel will
also integrate customer cable modems and Cisco Systems’ IP telephony and
router equipment.
If successful, the result could be one of the first IP
voice-over-cable-modem field trials. Cablevision of Lake Travis chosen
subscribers will be able to access corporate e-mail, Internet and
Intranets, fax, IP telephony, and transfer data files. When the service is
available commercially, remote office services is scheduled to
interconnect to IXC’s Gemini2000 next-generation IP backbone to provide an
integrated voice and data broadband package.
“The ultimate goal of the IXC field trial is to move remote communications
to the next level,” said Chris Rothlis, IXC’s vice president of new product
development.
“By employing the hybrid/fiber coax (HFC) facilities from
Cablevision of Lake Travis, managed IP access from The ISP Channel and IP
telephony gear from Cisco, IXC intends to gain critical operational
insights that will help determine future service offerings.”
While still in the initial product planning stages, IXC said it expects to
provide customized levels of service for Small Office/Home Office (SOHO),
small, medium and large business customers through its reseller and direct
sales channels.
“We see IP telephony services over cable as a key deployment strategy for
our customers,” said David Tucker, general manager of Cisco Systems enterprise voice business unit.
“IXC’s trial deployment will lead to refinements in this technology that
will accelerate its mass use by remote users and their companies. Leveraging IXC’s technology, such as the Gemini2000 OC-48 IP network, can help us ensure high quality and availability solutions,” Tucker said.
