U S West and Cisco Systems Join Forces to Save Businesses Long Distance Charges on Intra-Company Calls and Increase Network Control
DENVER, Colo. -- August 12, 1998 -- Today U S WEST. !NTERPRISE Networking, the data networking arm of U S West, introduced Voice, Video, Data Integration Services, a suite of services designed to save money for businesses with multiple locations, by moving intra-company voice communications off of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and onto the business' data network.
Typically, businesses have separate networks for voice and data communications. Adding a video component to communications requires a third, independent network. Now there is no need for businesses to build and maintain multiple parallel networks. Voice, Video, Data Integration Services uses customer premises equipment (CPE) designed by Cisco Systems to integrate all internal communications over the business' data network. This enables customers to save money on long-distance charges for voice and video, without experiencing perceptible changes in call quality and clarity.
Voice, Video, Data Integration Services offer customers several unique benefits in addition to cost savings. The suite of services efficiently merges data, voice, video and fax communications over Frame Relay, ATM and/or Internet Protocol networks. That provides customers a single point of network control with fewer points of failure, a simplified network topology, remote dial-up capabilities and Internet access. Voice, Video, Data Integration Services are expandable as the communication needs of a business changes, and customers can rely on U S WEST engineers with expertise in voice applications, Local Area Networks (LANs) and Wide Area Networks (WANs) to establish and support their integrated networks.
"The future of business is tied to the ability to converge technologies onto a single, dynamic platform that can take companies into the 21st century," said John Charters, vice president - Internet Services and Applications Development at U S WEST !NTERPRISE Networking. "Together with Cisco Systems, U S WEST has developed Voice, Video, Data Integration Services to make it easy, efficient and cost-effective for customers to maximize the benefit of their data networks, plus take advantage of a full array of current and emerging communications and networking technologies."
Voice, Video, Data Integration Services accommodates all of a business's central site, branch office, and remote access demands in one complete suite. Because the suite of services are provided through U S WEST, customers have the benefit of a one-stop shop for network design, Frame Relay and/or ATM transport services, hardware configuration and installation, Internet Services, network management and financing/leasing options. This means customers can turn to one contact at one company for all their networking needs, and they will receive only one bill for all of their communications media.
Cisco Systems' Technology
Cisco Systems provides the customer premises equipment (CPE) to enable U S WEST's Voice, Video, Data Integration Services. Cisco's 2600 series routers, 3600 series routers and MC3810 multiservice access concentrators provide the multi-protocol connectivity at the customer premise. As part of its strategic alliance with Cisco, U S WEST is currently installing BPX. 8600 series wide-area switches. U S WEST will use this multi-service backbone to deliver it's Voice, Video, Data Integration Services."Service providers are building next-generation networks now and U S WEST is at the forefront of this migration," said Larry Lang, vice president of marketing for Cisco's Service Provider line of business. "Our JumpStart consulting program enables us to work with top companies such as U S WEST to develop new services and deliver them to market well ahead of the competition."
Availability
Voice, Video, Data Integration Services is currently available across U S WEST's 14-state region. The services are based on complexity of the network and number of locations. To order the services, businesses should call 877-USW-5782. Customers who place orders for the service before Sept. 15, 1998, will receive one month free on their maintenance contract.About U S WEST
U S WEST (NYSE: USW) provides a full range of telecommunications services - including wireline, wireless PCS, data networking, directory and information services - to more than 25 million customers nationally and in 14 western and Midwestern states.U S WEST !NTERPRISE Networking is the data networking arm of U S WEST, and can be found on the Internet at http://www.uswest.com/interprise.
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. athttp://www.cisco.com.For more information visit Cisco PR Contacts
JumpStart is a trademark and BPX, Cisco, Cisco Systems, the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
