PSINet Inc. Monday
said it has chosen
Cisco Systems Inc. to provide it with
dial-up voice connectivity, optical equipment and related services for
PSINet’s core backbone network, PSIVoices Services.
Terms of the alliance call for the companies to work together in three
initial areas of business, including co-marketing of each other’s products
and services. Financial details were not disclosed.
To provide dial-up Internet connectivity, Cisco will offer its AS5800 access
equipment and complementary services throughout PSINet’s backbone network.
The dial-in technologies will support PSINet’s
wholesale Internet analog and ISDN dialup clients such as ISPs and telco
carriers offering Internet services. Individual AS5800s enable simultaneous
access for multiple users supporting more than 180 megabits per second
(Mbps) of data throughput on the PSINet network.
PSINet said it has certified and plans to deploy Cisco’s AS5300 technology
featuring voice/fax
capabilities. The products will support PSINet IntraNet and PSIVoice
clients and is part of PSINet’s strategic network enhancements for the
initial phase development of a market for Internet Voice. PSINet said that
during the first half of 1999, Cisco is just one of several developers
contributing to its PSIVoice strategy.
PSINet expects to offer current and new PSINet customers integrated voice
and data Internet access through a single connection to
the PSINet network. In addition, PSINet and Cisco Systems agreed to launch
an extensive joint marketing initiative for the Internet voice marketplace
in the U.S. and abroad by the end of this year.
In deploying Cisco technologies, PSINet said its backbone will be able to
handle pure IP (Internet Protocol) routing and Frame Relay switching at
SONET speeds. The enhancements, along with PSINet’s internal network
operations, will enable PSINet to integrate new SONET fiber optic capacity
from multiple providers with PSINet’s existing DS-3, OC-3 and OC-12 capacity.
“PSINet has aggressively extended its Internet presence worldwide and is
now positioned as the
only independent ISP with a continuous data network that circles the
globe,” said Larry Lang, Cisco’s
vice president of marketing for the service provider line of business.
“Joining in this market leadership
role, Cisco is committed to providing our carrier customers with the right
solution to help advance them
to the new-world platform. Leveraging our broad array of products and
solutions, PSINet continues to enhance network scalability, increase
business and extend its complete line of services including the
innovative PSIVoice solution for business.
“Although we have always embraced a multi-vendor model for network
equipment, management, and growth, Cisco has done a great job in ensuring
that their technologies meet all criteria tested in our
certification laboratories,” said Mark Fedor, vice president of engineering
for PSINet Inc.
“Cisco’s commitment to quality shows in their ability to work with our
needs which often include innovative features and capabilities that relate
to the way we have constructed our global network,” Fedor added.
