Qwest Communications International, Inc. (NYSE:Q), a broadband Internet communications company, announced that its entire North American Internet Protocol (IP) network now operates at OC-192c capacity, or 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps), making it the first in the industry to offer customers IP transport and connectivity at this speed throughout the U.S.
While others have announced plans to deploy or are bringing up their first OC-192c IP segments, Qwest is carrying OC-192c IP customer traffic nationwide. At these speeds, the Qwest network could simultaneously transmit every major movie released last year to every major U.S. market in less than an hour.
More than a year ago, Qwest launched the first coast-to-coast, OC-192c IP link carrying commercial traffic. With its deployment of OC-192c IP equipment complete, Qwest is enabling customers nationwide to take advantage of the latest bandwidth-intensive applications and high-speed access to hosting services provided by its 14 U.S. CyberCenters, each offering direct connections to the OC-192c IP network.
For this milestone, Qwest incorporated Juniper Networks Inc.'s (NASDAQ: JNPR) M160 Internet backbone routers into Qwest's existing broadband optical network, enabling speeds four times faster than existing networks and the lowest latency, greatest efficiency and lowest cost of operation and maintenance.
With its all-OC-192c IP network fully operational, Qwest maintains its position as a provider of broadband applications and services, such as managed applications, streaming media and complex hosting. Having achieved this industry milestone, Qwest is testing terabit routers from Juniper Networks and other companies, including Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO) and Avici Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: AVCI) for deployment in Qwest�s next-generation IP network. These technologies would continue to enable Qwest to collapse multiple networks into a single IP core network, resulting in greater efficiencies and lower costs for customers.
About Qwest:
Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) is a provider of scalable and secure broadband Internet-based data, voice and image communications for businesses and consumers. The Qwest Macro Capacity Fiber Network, designed with the newest optical networking equipment for speed and efficiency, spans more than 104,000 miles globally. For more information, visit www.qwest.com.