News Briefs

Posted: 2/2003

News Briefs

* New Edge Networks Inc. is
selling packages to ISPs that aggregate broadband access and IP circuits over a
single connection. The new service, dubbed AggVantage, also offers ISPs fault
tolerances and network redundancy for accessing the Internet and is available in
more than 100 markets across the country.

New Edge spokesman Sal Cinquegrani
says the new packages could save ISPs money and allow them to offer various
services, including frame relay and ATM, over one pipe. Installation is waived
if customers sign a three-year contract. A three-megabit package costs $1,500 a
month. New Edge allocates one megabit for local aggregation between its central
office and an ISP’s router and two megabits for IP transit.

New Edge also offers a DS-3 package
that starts with 5 megabits of capacity, though ISPs can add more bandwidth
through a software change, Cinquegrani says. For a one-year contract, the
installation is $1,500. ISPs would pay $750 for a two-year contract.

In an unrelated development, DSL.net
Inc. has partnered with New Edge Networks in order to provide DSL and T1
services to more businesses in small and mid-sized cities.

* ISP Sitestar.net has
partnered with Covad Communications Co. to provide DSL and T1 services to
businesses and home office customers beyond its regional footprint. The ISP,
which is based in Martinsville, Va., said it would move to establish a national
strategy under new chairman and CEO Frank Erhartic Jr.

* Pronto Networks has
partnered with Navini Networks Inc. to enable service providers to deploy
numerous Wi-Fi hotspots to cover large geographic areas. The combination is
available as a licensed package or through a managed services option wherein
Pronto provides the back-office functionality on an outsourced basis to
resellers deploying its Hotspot Networking System.

Under the agreement, the Pronto
Hotspot Networking System is integrated with Navini’s Ripwave wireless WAN
solution to allow service providers to set up hundreds of hotspots virtually
anywhere within an area of up to 500 square miles using one Navini Ripwave base
station for backhaul and individual Pronto Hotspot Controllers at each hotspot
location.

* TMC Communications Inc. has
signed a two-year, multimillion-dollar resale agreement with Global Crossing
Ltd. California-based TMC, which runs customer traffic over the Global
Crossing network, will distribute Global Crossing’s private line, ATM, frame
relay, IP transit, integrated T1s and toll-free service. It also will sell
Access Direct switched and dedicated long distance, which Global Crossing says
allows North America-based wholesale customers to increase profits by managing
their terminating costs more effectively, and the Pseudo Carrier Identification
Code service, which offers customers nationwide origination and allows service
providers to deliver flexible transport options, such as routing different call
types to specific terminating destinations.

TMC’s CEO John Gibbons says,
"We were attracted to Global Crossing because it offered us a targeted
suite of products coupled with flexible pricing, which supports our competitive
positioning in the marketplace."

* Buyers United Inc. has
agreed to buy 70,000 customer accounts from Touch America Holdings Inc. for $3
million in stock in addition to incremental payments of up to $6.75 million. The
agreement is subject to regulatory approval. Buyers United announced a separate
agreement to buy assets of I-Link Communications Inc. for certain
liabilities and $3 million of preferred convertible shares. Buyers United will
buy I-Link’s customer accounts and network. The sale excludes ILink’s
wholly-owned subsidiary, WorldxChange Corp.