Jim Wagner

Level 3 Communications, Inc., is going to change the way people communicate with Tuesday’s voice over IP (VoIP) product line announcement. The (3)Voice Exchange lets people communicate over their personal computer or an IP “smart” phone, bypassing the traditional phone services and its minute-by-minute and toll charges. While the service won’t be available until later […]

SBC Communications Inc., is hoping to put out some fires with its deal Monday with NightFire Software Inc., to automate the loop ordering process with competitive and data local exchange carriers. SBC and the other U.S. “Baby bells” are under close scrutiny by competitors and the federal government alike to make ordering digital subscriber line […]

Winfire Inc., is making good on its promise to deliver FreeDSL to 30,000 thrifty digital subscriber line customers in the New England region Monday. A unique five-year wholesale agreement signed with Verizon Communications gives FreeDSL subscribers, who signed up for the service earlier this year, from Maine to Virginia a low-cost alternative to the often-pricey […]

Juno Online Services, Inc., is looking to leverage its subscriber base into profit, forming a strategic alliance Monday with Greenfield Online, Inc., to harvest subscriber information on customer habits and trends. With 3.38 million subscribers, Juno is the third largest Internet service provider in the U.S. That’s a large font of information for companies looking […]

Despite being the second-largest digital subscriber line provider in the nation, Covad Communications Group made a $750 million deal with the devil, giving SBC Communications, Inc., a six percent equity piece of the company. SBC , the nation’s number one DSL provider, has had a checkered past with the data local exchange carrier (DLEC), with […]

As U.S. incumbent, data and competitive local exchange carriers (ILEC, DLEC and CLEC) scramble for market dominance in the high-stakes world of high-speed Internet access, some are neglecting to collect money from the customers that pay their bills. Covad Communications Group is a perfect example. Monday, the DLEC announced its intentions to serve 200,000 DSL […]

America Online, Inc., just can’t catch a break in Brazil. Brazil’s council for ethics of the National Advertising Self-Regulation Council (CONAR) this week banned AOL from using its advertising slogan, “The largest because it is the best,” in television, print and radio promotions throughout the country. The complaint was filed by Universo Online, Latin America’s […]

AT&T Corp. went shopping for a secure, multi-platform commerce solution and found a bargain with Qpass. Qpass’ ability to provide one-click secure shopping for AT&T’s PocketNet and WorldNet customers sold the company on an idea that’s already caught the fancy of companies and organizations like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and the National […]

SBC Communications, Inc., is kicking its first-to-market strategy into high gear, deferring payment and reducing shipping costs to digital subscriber line-enabled computers until 2001. In a promotion running through Oct. 31, SBC is delaying its $59.95 per month, 28-month contract for a customized DSL-enabled Compaq Computer Corp. computer until Jan. 1, 2001. In addition, shipping […]

New residential digital subscriber line pricing rates released by Verizon Online Friday has Internet service providers demanding government action. Verizon Online, a subsidiary of Verizon Communications Inc., is offering residential customers up to 768Kbps downstream and 128Kbps downstream for $39.95 with a one-year contract. That’s predatory pricing, as far as smaller ISPs are concerned, and […]

If SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. really want to join forces to become the nation’s second largest wireless carrier, they need to shed businesses in 16 metropolitan markets, a Department of Justice release announced Wednesday. According to the DOJ, the merger would have stifled wireless telephony services in 16 metropolitan markets including Los Angeles, […]

Like California panhandlers in the early 1900s, telecommunications and Internet service providers are seeing gold in them thar hills and rapidly expanding Latin America operations to grab a bigger stake in the new “gold rush.” The latest to stake its claim is UUNet, which hopes to become an early leader in the network services category. […]