IRVING, Texas - Nov. 17, 1997 - GTE Communications Corporation, a newly formed competitive localexchange carrier and unit of GTE Corp., today announced that it has begun commercial deploymentof asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) service in Southern California.
The customer premises equipment-based (CPE), high-speed Internet access service is thefirst-of-its-kind deployment among major U.S.-based carriers. The service, to be marketed asADSL OnSiteSM, initially involves up to 1,000 residential units at the Mariners Villageapartment complex in Marina Del Rey, Calif., and delivers lightning-fast access to the Internetusing Westell Technologies' FlexCap2 Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber Line (RADSL) system. Internet access and equipment will be provided by GTE Internetworking, a unit of GTE Corp.
GTE Communications Corporation will commercially offer the ADSL OnSite service in numerous keymarkets throughout the country over the next year.
The company's regulated local exchange carrier, GTE Network Services, continues to provide ADSLservice to customers in Texas, Washington, North Carolina and Indiana as part of its ongoingindustry-leading trials. GTE Network Services plans to convert its trials into full-scalecommercial deployment in the first quarter of 1998, pending regulatory approval.
ADSL Possesses Broad Appeal For Wide Variety Of Users
"As ADSL service becomes more prevalent, it will dramatically transform the way active computerusers around the globe do business," said Butch Bercher, president-GTE Communications Corp."Whereas GTE Network Services' trials have focused on delivering a high-speed Internet andremote LAN access solution for businesses, college campuses and some residents, this initialdeployment takes direct aim at helping multi-tenant property owners and residents use the mostadvanced technologies as a competitive tool.
"The OnSite solution delivers an extremely easy-to-install, easy-to-use way for deployment ofADSL at apartment complexes, condominiums, high-rises and college dormitories," added Bercher.
"By enabling people to work more efficiently and productively from home as compared to atraditional office, ADSL will revolutionize the way condominium and apartment dwellers thinkabout using technology to stay ahead in business," said Doug Ring, owner of Mariners Village."Nearly 50 residents of Mariners Village have been using ADSL service for the past few monthsas part of a trial, and they love it. The ability to offer easy-to-use and affordable accessto the Internet will make this attractive property stand out from all others in this region forpeople who are seeking a safe and convenient place to live, and at the same time have theability to take advantage of cutting-edge technology."
Service Priced Affordably For Customers
With the Westell RADSL system, GTE customers can transmit data "downstream" to their computersat speeds ranging from 680 kilobits per second (kbps) to 1.5 megabits per second (Mbps), and"upstream" to the Internet at 256 kbps to 384 kbps, respectively. For comparison, a subscribercould use the RADSL system to download a 10 megabyte (MB) file (e.g., one-minute video clip)using a 1.5 Mbps modem in 53 seconds versus 46 minutes using a 28.8 kbps modem.
Because ADSL operates as a dedicated connection to the Internet, no dial-up connections arerequired, allowing users to have an "always connected" link to the Internet.
GTE's ADSL OnSite service is priced for individual residential and business customers asfollows:
- Residential 680 kbps/256 kbps, $125 per month, plus $250 installation. The serviceincludes unlimited dial-up GTE Internet access, e-mail and newsgroups, five Megabytes of drivespace on web server for personal home page, one e-mail mailbox, ADSL modem rental and 24 hour/7day technical support.
- Business - 1.5 Mbps/384 kbps, $700 per month, plus $500 installation. The serviceincludes unlimited dial-up GTE Internet access, e-mail and newsgroups, five Megabytes of drivespace on web server for personal home page, five e-mail mailboxes, ADSL modem rental and 24hour/7 day network monitoring and technical support.
High-Speed Internet Access, Telecommuting Growth Drive ADSLDemand
"Westell is absolutely delighted to partner with GTE in their commercial deployment andnational roll-out of ADSL enabled services," said J. Nelson, President of Westell, Inc. "It isclear, based on our experience in this market, that there is a growing demand, across theUnited States from both residential and business based consumers, for applications likehigh-speed Internet access, remote LAN access, streaming video, distance learning andtelecommuting. The ADSL OnSite service meets this demand; customers are going to be excited byGTE's leading edge service offerings and ADSL technology applications."
"The ADSL OnSite solution supports the two fastest growing trends in business today -- anincrease in the number of people working from home, and a rapid growth in the number of peopleusing the Internet as their business platform to communicate with customers," said FlynnNogueira, director-data services for GTE Communications Corp. "ADSL OnSite offers customersspeed, power, productivity, reliability and flexibility, while taking the pain out of workingover the Internet. In short, it gives customers a huge competitive edge in the marketplace."
How the Multi-Dwelling Unit Deployment Works
In previous trials, ADSL modems had to be installed in both the central office and thecustomers' premises. However, the CPE-based deployment does not require equpment at thecentral office.
At the Mariners Village complex, 4600 Via Marina Road, all concentration equipment is installedat the telephone terminal room in the building and uses existing building cabling. As aresult, the service is easy to install, and does not affect the appearance of the property, orgreatly impact the infrastructure requirements.
The property's telephone equipment room, which acts as a concentrator, is outfitted with theRADSL modems, a Cisco Ethernet switch and Cisco 2500 Series routers to direct the data trafficbetween the Internet and subscribers. In each of the subscribers' units is an ADSL modem thatoperates with a companion ADSL system located in the telephone equipment room. A high-speedT-1 line (1.544Mbps) links the telephone equipment room to the Internet.
"ADSL will play an increasingly important role in user-to-network access," said KevinKennedy, vice president and general manager, Cisco Systems. "With Cisco's networkingplatforms and software comprising more than 80 percent of the global Internet backboneinfrastructure, Cisco is well positioned to deliver integrated solutions enabling service providersto offer scalable Internet services."
About GTE
With revenues of more than $21 billion in 1996, GTE is one of the largest publicly-heldtelecommunications companies in the world. In the United States, GTE offers local and wirelessservice in 29 states and long-distance service in all 50 states. GTE was the first among its peersto offer "one-stop shopping" for local, long-distance and Internet access services. Outside theUnited States, where GTE has operated for more than 40 years, the company servesapproximately 7 million customers. GTE is also a leader in government and defensecommunications systems and equipment, directories and telecommunications-based informationservices, and aircraft-passenger telecommunications. Additional information about GTE can befound on the Internet at http://www.gte.com .
About Westell
Westell Inc. is a leading worldwide innovator and manufacturer of xDSL systems andtelecommunications access products, with corporate headquarters in Aurora, Illinois. Westell'sxDSL products are currently in use or trial by more than 100 customers in over 30 countriesworldwide including Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, Bell Canada, BT, GTE, MCI, Quebec Telephone, SBC,Saskatchewan Telephone, Telecom Italia, US West and leading Internet service providers.
In addition to developing and manufacturing xDSL and non-DSL data and telecommunications products,Westell Inc. has established technology relationships with leading telecommunication, software,computing and semi-conductor companies such as Atlantech Technologies, ATML, DSCCommunications, GlobeSpan, Lucent Technologies, Microsoft, Motorola and others. Additionalinformation can be obtained by visiting Westell's Web site at
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is theworldwide leader in networking for the Internet. athttp://www.cisco.com.
Cisco IOS is a trademark, and Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo areregistered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. All othertrademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
