American Fiber Systems deploys Atrica equipment

JUNE 14, 2007 -- American Fiber Systems (AFS; search for AFS), a provider of metropolitan fiber-optic network infrastructure and wholesale transport services, has deployed Atrica's (serach for Atrica) Carrier Ethernet platform to cost-effectively meet the burgeoning demand for advanced Ethernet Transport Services from carriers and large enterprises in its target markets, according to Atrica.

With over 1,200,000 miles of its own metropolitan fiber-optic cable, AFS provides Ethernet, wavelength, and TDM private-line services, as well as dark fiber infrastructure, to operators and large enterprises in nine U.S. metro markets, including Atlanta, Cleveland, Kansas City, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Nashville, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Reno, and Boise.

AFS wanted an infrastructure that would give it clear a competitive advantage in its target markets, according to Atrica. AFS selected the Atrica Carrier Ethernet platform for its ability to deliver end-to-end 50-msec protection, flexible bandwidths for both Committed Information Rate (CIR) and Excess Information Rate (EIR) services, and differentiated service offerings based on quality of service (QoS), the systems vendor asserts. AFS was also impressed with the Atrica equipment's end-to-end provisioning and network management process as well as its guaranteed service-level agreements (SLAs), rapid time-to-service capabilities, and the reduced capex and opex it offers, Atrica adds.

"This agreement is an illustration of how leading North American competitive carriers are embracing Carrier Ethernet technology as a proven method for expanding service portfolios and improving margins," said Eve Griliches, program manager for IDC. "Key vertical markets such as financial investments, research and education, healthcare, and large enterprises are looking to Ethernet services for their mission-critical applications. Competitive carriers are responding to these demands with innovative service offerings that deliver carrier-class protection and a range of QoS and SLA options over Ethernet."

AFS has deployed Atrica's full carrier-class Carrier Ethernet product suite, including the A-8100 Carrier Ethernet Core Switch, A-4100 Carrier Ethernet Aggregation Switch, the A-2140 Carrier Ethernet Edge Switch, and the A-100, A-210, and A-1180 Carrier Ethernet Demarcation devices, as well as the Atrica Service Platform for Ethernet Networks (ASPEN), an integrated service provisioning and management system.

"With Atrica's Carrier Ethernet platform, we are cost-effectively bringing Ethernet to the WAN, and are giving our customers highly scalable, highly reliable, easy to understand, flexible Ethernet Transport Services with guaranteed SLAs and a variety of QoS levels," said Dave Rusin, founder and CEO of AFS. "In Atrica, we found a partner whose customer service mirrored our own -- a company committed to working closely with us to enable not only our success, but the success of our customers."

"The market for Carrier Ethernet has definitely arrived," said Vivek Ragavan, president and CEO of Atrica Inc. "Forward-thinking competitive carriers are embracing Carrier Ethernet as a tool for securing market share with unique, differentiated services. We are proud to be helping a market innovator such as AFS expand its success with a broad line of advanced Ethernet Transport Services."

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