Source: Metaswitch Networks
Working With MetaSwitch, Municipalities Emerge as Innovative Service Providers
Communities Turn to Trusted, Reliable Softswitch Provider to Introduce Enhanced Voice Services Alongside High-Speed Broadband
ALAMEDA, CA--(Marketwire - March 26, 2008) - Just as they once constructed their own
infrastructures for electricity and water supply, many municipalities are
taking their future into their own hands by building leading-edge
telecommunications systems. From coast to coast, communities are realizing
that their economic success depends on high-speed broadband networks
coupled with the most advanced communications services -- and they are
increasingly turning to MetaSwitch to realize that vision.
"MetaSwitch is helping municipalities take the significant step of
providing their own telecommunications services by delivering leading-edge
technology complemented by comprehensive system integration support," said
Paul Drew, vice president of professional services at MetaSwitch. "Our
integration teams have experience from hundreds of softswitch and enhanced
applications deployments, bringing the necessary expertise to ease the
transition and ensure that these new services can be delivered to market
quickly and cost-effectively."
Widely recognized as one of the most forward-thinking municipalities in the
country, Bristol Virginia Utilities (BVU) is a 64-year-old municipal
utility serving the city of Bristol, Va. In early 2000, BVU launched its
unique network, OptiNet, to offer voice, video and data services within the
city's regional and metro areas. Three years ago, BVU OptiNet made a
strategic decision to expand the scope of its services using the MetaSwitch
class 4/5 softswitch.
The decision, according to Mark Lane, BVU director of network engineering,
was based on MetaSwitch's ability to deliver a next-generation softswitch
that could operate in a PON-based infrastructure via any access protocol.
"Initially we decided to deploy MetaSwitch based on the technology,"
explained Lane. "We wanted to create an evolved service architecture that
would deliver a superior voice product, with the quality and reliability
you'd normally associate with traditional telecommunications providers."
MetaSwitch's packet-based architecture has enabled BVU OptiNet to build out
its network beyond Bristol County. In addition, the company is leveraging
MetaSwitch applications to offer a telecommuting services bundle to sign up
larger, international companies that have established a presence in the
region. For local businesses, BVU OptiNet offers a hosted PBX service,
augmented by MetaSwitch's MetaSphere service delivery platform (SDP), to
provide unified messaging, auto attendant, conferencing, and music-on-hold.
Residential customers can choose from a host of converged services,
including Caller ID on their televisions, as either a standalone or as part
of a triple-play package of voice, video and data services.
BVU was recently honored with a Digital Expo 2008 Smart Community Award by
Last Mile Magazine, which recognized the community for employing innovative
solutions in network deployment and applications, as well as fostering
community involvement.
MINET, a non-profit public utility based in Oregon, operates a local
fiber-optic telecom network delivering television, phone service and
high-speed Internet access to the cities of Monmouth and Independence. In
business for nearly two years, MINET has been deploying the MetaSwitch
VP3510 integrated softswitch for its fiber-to-the-home network for the past
12 months to deliver a triple-play bundle of voice, video and data. The
company uses a Broadband PON (BPON)-based infrastructure with a
voice-over-ATM network to effectively reach its 3,000 business and
residential subscribers. MINET also has plans to deploy Voice-over-IP
(VoIP) services in the future.
"Deploying the MetaSwitch couldn't have been easier," explained Phil
Garrett, general manager, MINET. "We were pleasantly surprised by how
straightforward it was to get our customers provisioned using the switch.
MetaSwitch's responsive team and ongoing maintenance and support ensure
that we consistently deliver high-quality, reliable services to our
customers. We have also been impressed with the MetaSwitch MarketVisions
program, which is helping us effectively market these services to our
community."
Bristol Tennessee Essential Services (BTES), in business for 60 years,
serves the city and surrounding areas of Bristol, Tenn. One year ago, BTES
registered as a local exchange carrier and added telephone service to its
slate of high-speed Internet and cable television offerings, packaging
these services into a triple-play bundle to be delivered via its all-fiber
optic network.
Prior to purchasing and installing the equipment necessary to start
offering telephony services, BTES did an analysis of several different
equipment and software providers, ultimately deciding to deploy the
MetaSwitch softswitch because "MetaSwitch is an organization with a solid
support system," according to BTES chief executive officer, Dr. Mike
Browder.
Currently, BTES provides basic and enhanced telephone services, including
caller ID and unconditional call forwarding, to nearly 3,500 business and
residential customers. The company plans on expanding with MetaSwitch to
make this service available to all its customers. Plus, BTES believes that
offering telephony services is a key tool in recruiting business and
industry to the community.
"BTES chose MetaSwitch because of its interoperability with our other
equipment, allowing for a complete voice services delivery platform that is
easy to provision and easy to use," explained Browder. "Moving quickly from
zero customers to 'any' customers, it was imperative to partner with a
solution provider that had been through the process before and understood
what was required. MetaSwitch helped make this transition as easy as
possible and continues to offer excellent support and resources, allowing
BTES to deliver the best service to its customers."
The city of Windom is a regional transportation hub in southwestern
Minnesota. For more than 100 years, Windom Municipal Utilities (WMU) has
provided residents with electric, water and wastewater services. In 2005,
WMU rebranded as Windomnet and launched a citywide fiber-to-the-home
network in order to provide cable television, high-speed Internet and
telephone services to 2,000 homes and 300 businesses. After numerous vendor
interviews, evaluations and customer references, Windomnet chose MetaSwitch
as its VoIP telephone softswitch supplier.
"Choosing the right vendor partners was crucial in the process of building
out and running this network," explained Dan Olsen, director of operations
at Windomnet. "It was particularly important to pick the right vendor,
because voice really is the most fundamental communications service."
Currently, Windomnet is using its MetaSwitch platform to provide
voice-over-fiber using traditional TDM voice-over-fiber, but according to
Olsen, Windomnet plans to transition to VoIP later this year to offer
hosted PBX-type services to businesses in the community.
About MetaSwitch
MetaSwitch is an industry-leading vendor of switching and applications
solutions for both packet and circuit-switched networks. Its MetaSphere service delivery platform and
applications suite enables a broad set of hosted IP communications
services, while its core session control and media/signaling gateway
products support a full range of Class 4/5 softswitch capabilities. Customers
include many of the world's leading operators of wireline, wireless and
cable networks, with deployments that scale to millions of subscribers.
For more information, please visit www.metaswitch.com.
Data Connection and MetaSwitch are trademarks of Data Connection Limited
and Data Connection Corporation. Brands and products referenced herein are
the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Copyright © 2008 Data Connection Limited.
Contact Information: Contact:
Carol Daniels
MetaSwitch
+1 (510) 589-5074
chd@metaswitch.com
Erin Grohs
Connect2 Communications for MetaSwitch
+1 (919) 554-3532, xt 5
egrohs@connect2comm.com