Carrier Ethernet

With a little help from Overture Networks’ (News - Alert) next generation Carrier Ethernet edge and aggregation platforms, PAETEC (News - Alert) Holding Corp. announced it has enabled its network with 100 Mbps Ethernet over Copper (EoC) technology.

PAETEC, a Fortune 1000 company that provides advanced communication solutions to businesses nationwide, will now be able to deliver as much as 100 Mbps access directly to customers by leveraging the qualifying existing copper infrastructure currently utilizing up to 15 Mbps per copper pair from Overture. This will allow PAETEC to experience unprecedented bandwidth at a dramatically reduced cost compared to traditional SONET offerings. PAETEC has more than 370 central offices (COs) directly connected to its fiber network with additional COs planned this year.

“As one of the largest providers of EoC in the United States, we are leading the way with one of the fastest offerings on the market,” said Clint Heiden (News - Alert), president of national accounts and fiber services, PAETEC in a statement. “Our dense footprint allows us to offer multiple access media and speeds to meet the diverse needs of our customers, including Ethernet over Copper, fiber, and fixed wireless.”

Not only will PAETEC’s retail customers benefit from this Carrier Ethernet platform, but wholesale customers will be able to establish one or more Ethernet Network-to-Network Interfaces (NNIs) with PAETEC to drive down access charges and reach more than 200,000 business locations.

“As the demand for expanded Ethernet services accelerates, PAETEC, with its broad central office footprint, is well prepared to deliver unparalleled bandwidth and best-in-class Ethernet services that today’s enterprise and wholesale customers have been waiting for,” said Kevin Sheehan, president, Overture Networks. “As the recognized technology, innovation and market leader in Ethernet over Copper solutions, Overture is excited to partner with PAETEC for its launch of 100 Mbps services.”

In other Carrier Ethernet news, FONEX, a value-added distributor (VAD), network integrator and solutions provider, has been named by RAD Data Communications (News - Alert)  as its North American Value Added Reseller of the Year for 2010, the second year in a row it has received the honor.

RAD bestows the award each year to a partner that demonstrates the highest levels of excellence in three key areas – revenue, customer satisfaction, and professionalism.

The Carrier Ethernet company touted FONEX as a top-performing “model partner.” The two have been partners since 1997, and during that time FONEX has claimed the title of “North American Value Added Reseller” for two consecutive years and has been a RAD VAR for 14 years in RAD’s active channel sales program.