JULY 10, 2007 -- AT&T (search for AT&T) is expanding its switched Optical Ethernet Metropolitan Area Network (OPT-E-MAN) service to include 150-and 600-Mbit/sec Committed Information Rate (CIR) for its wholesale customers. The new option is available in California, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Connecticut.
OPT-E-MAN service is a broadband data transport service that uses switched optical Ethernet to transport data traffic within a metropolitan service area (MSA) or to access wholesale customers' WAN applications.
"OPT-E-MAN service provides our wholesale customers with an economical way to expand their networks to meet increases in local bandwidth requirements, along with 24/7 monitoring to help reduce management responsibilities and service costs," said Sherry Charles, vice president, wholesale segment marketing, AT&T Operations Inc.
OPT-E-MAN service employs Ethernet LAN packets running over optical fiber, either within or as access to a service provider's network. OPT-E-MAN service provides a Layer 2 switched metro Ethernet service, enabling customers to connect any two or more locations together as access within a metro service area. The service offers virtual point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and multipoint-to-multipoint data configurations. With OPT-E-MAN service, customers can create a scalable optical service that provides flexible bandwidth options from 5 Mbits/sec to 1 Gbit/sec, AT&T asserts.
The expansion comes on the heels of a recent FCC decision that allows AT&T to negotiate individual OPT-E-MAN service arrangements in areas where AT&T has received Phase I pricing flexibility. This flexibility allows AT&T to provide services in ways that better meet customers' needs and leads to more competitive offerings and price levels, the carrier says.
"These new speed options, coupled with our recent pricing relief, enable AT&T Wholesale to better serve our customers as their Ethernet needs continue to expand," Charles said.
AT&T's entire suite of Ethernet services was certified by the Metro Ethernet Forum's (MEF) test lab and passed the industry association's most stringent MEF-14 evaluation for performance.
AT&T also offers OPT-E-MAN service for business customers.
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