Cogent Communications, Inc., a next-generation optical ISP that offers bandwidth for unmetered pricing, announced it is the first Internet service provider to use the industry's Very Short Reach Optics (VSR) standard, VSR-1, for OC-192 connectivity.
Across its network, Cogent will exclusively utilize the Cisco 12416 Internet Routers, a premier platform for 10-gigabit routing. VSR accelerates deployments of OC-192 links in scaling Internet Points of Presence (POPs) by lowering connectivity costs. As a result, Cogent can deliver high-bandwidth, high-value services at a lower cost because of the innovative, standards-based VSR interconnection of routers, switches, optical cross-connects and DWDM systems.
Cogent has constructed a nationwide OC-192 backbone powered by Cisco's 12400 Internet Router family that delivers 10Gbps capacity for scaling networks to core optical speeds and provides the bandwidth for rich services such as Voice over IP (VoIP) and video. Cogent is in the process of increasing the capacity of its existing OC-192 network to 80 Gbps by lighting an additional 7 wavelengths across its backbone.
Cogent uses its own Cisco-powered 17,400-mile fiber optic backbone and multiple metro area networks. Because it owns its backbone, Cogent is able to run an independent data-only network parallel to traditional voice networks at radical price points. As a facilities-based ISP, Cogent offers managed wavelength services, high speed Internet access, and transport between sites to business customers occupying large multi-tenant buildings and co-location centers, as well as to carriers and service providers.
"VSR utilizes a low-cost, 12-element array of 850-nanometer lasers, each operating at 1.25 Gbps with parallel optic interconnect cable technology," said Rob Redford, vice president, marketing, for Cisco's Public Carrier IP Group. "This avoids the high cost of longer reach lasers, the single most expensive component in an OC-192 interface. The VSR-1 standard was approved by the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) in January 2001."
The flagship Cisco 12000 series Internet routers are based on a distributed architecture that delivers the IP+Optical networking foundation and service building blocks to accelerate the evolution of the Internet. The Cisco 12400 family delivers scalability and performance, and claim to be capable of guaranteeing high priority packet delivery.
About Cogent Communications:
Cogent Communications is a next generation optical ISP focused on delivering ultra-high speed Internet access and transport services to businesses in the multi-tenant marketplace and to service providers located in major metropolitan areas throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.cogentco.com.
About Cisco Systems:
Cisco Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO) is a provider of networking for the Internet. For more information, visit www.cisco.com.