On the heels of a successful launch of their Digital Subscriber Line services in Los Angeles, PSINet Inc. Wednesday announced plans to expand its DSL service to 21 U.S. major metropolitan markets.
The global Internet access provider has partnered with several DSL networking companies to arrange for further expansion of their broadband services to 60 U.S. cities by early next year.
In a deal with Covad Communications Co. (COVD), PSINet (PSIX) is offering DSL connectivity in standard and enhanced formats to PSINet’s global commercial customers.
Covad recently announced its plan to deploy DSL services to 40 percent of U.S. homes and businesses by the end of next year. This expansion plan would add 49 new U.S. metropolitan markets and 19 states to Covad’s national footprint.
To supplement Covad’s DSL service areas, PSINet has forged additional partnerships with Rhythms NetConnections Inc. (RHTM) The agreement increases PSINet’s U.S. coverage and accelerates the delivery of nationwide PSINet DSL services.
PSINet has also entered into a long-term agreement with Network Access Solutions in order to provision DSL services throughout the eastern United States.
Charles Cary, PSINet vice president of product management and development, said the multiple agreements were necessary to accelerate the deployment of their broadband services nationwide.
“By partnering with leading DSL providers we are able to rapidly deploy a high quality product nationally,” Cary said. “Customers will have the benefit of PSINet’s IP-based global network and quality DSL service in major cities throughout the US by midyear 2000.”
PSINet DSL services are currently available in Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh/Durham, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, DC.
DSL technology allows Internet connectivity over existing copper infrastructures that can be implemented at a lower cost than traditional circuits because high-speed are made through ordinary two-wire copper telephone lines.
DSL connections are up to 40 times faster than the speed of traditional dial-up modems. Corporate connectivity fees for PSINet DSL services begin at $159 a month and may vary depending on the type of service implemented.