New Edge to Provide Innovative Service for Prioritizing Data Traffic over DSL
New Edge Networks has completed installation of network infrastructure that will accelerate introduction of a telecommunications industry-first: A network service that allows businesses to tag and prioritize data applications traffic over low-cost, high-speed digital subscriber lines commonly used for wide area networks.
The business communications unit of EarthLink Inc., (NASDAQ: ELNK), said it expects to begin live testing the network service next month with existing customers and plans to begin full commercial offering in April. New Edge made the announcement during the National Retail Federation’s 97th Annual Convention and Expo in New York.
Businesses in various industry segments can use up to five classes of service to tag and prioritize their applications so that critical services such as VoIP telephone calls or inventory and price lookups move across DSL-based networks ahead of email or other less important business functions. Currently, traffic tagging and prioritization with class of service are available only on more costly high-capacity T1 lines with MPLS technology, short for Multi-Protocol Label Switching.
New Edge will honor DSL class-of-service tags end to end throughout its customers’ private wide area networks.
“Traffic prioritization over DSL is a breakthrough service offering for budget-conscious small and midsize businesses or enterprises that cannot yet justify the improved application performance and reliability of more costly T1 lines,” said Greg Griffiths, vice president of marketing for New Edge Networks. “MPLS class of service over DSL allows businesses to optimize use of high-speed, low-cost DSL access until they are ready to step up to the next network performance level.
“This new network capability is not just for point-of-sale. It will help businesses in different industries consolidate more of their applications over their DSL-based private networks,” Griffiths said.
A typical DSL connection used as part of a managed, private network costs about $150. Monthly costs for T1 lines range from about $500, depending on distance and geographic area.
New Edge plans to offers DSL traffic prioritization with class of services as an upgrade option for its private managed networks. New Edge did not disclose pricing, noting early that its new offering will be priced significantly less than the average pricing for T1 lines.
“MPLS class of service over DSL is a simple and smart service that closes the huge pricing gap between traditional business-class DSL and a full T1 line,” Griffiths said. “Rapid convergence of voice, data and video applications over a single wide area network is creating communications traffic bottlenecks that deteriorate both application and business performance.
“Inadequate bandwidth plus the high cost to step up to the next level of application performance deters businesses from adding new applications that drive business efficiency and profitability,” Griffiths said.
Traffic prioritization over DSL is analogous to an emergency vehicle on busy highway. Regular traffic slows down and pulls over to let critical applications quickly and securely flow through. This prevents critical business applications from bogging down when they hit the network at the same time.
New Edge Networks solved this problem by installing carrier-class SmartEdge 800 gateway switches, manufactured by Redback Networks Inc., at various regional aggregation points around the country. Based in San Jose, Calif., Redback is a wholly owned subsidiary of telecom equipment maker Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC).
In addition to accelerating the deployment of MPLS class of service over DSL, the new Redback platform helps New Edge expand network capacity, improve service and add traffic routing diversity.
New Edge Networks has one of the largest DSL footprints with reach to about 90 percent of U.S. business addresses.
EarthLink, which acquired New Edge Networks in April 2006, has been investing in the company to capitalize on market growth opportunities in network communications services among small and midsize businesses.
About New Edge Networks
New Edge Networks builds and manages private IP-based wide area networks that do not use the public Internet. Connecting business sites at virtually any address in the United States, New Edge allows businesses to choose any blend of available access technologies – from DSL and T1 lines to fiber optic connections – for building private and secure MPLS networks with performance guarantees. A wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based EarthLink Inc., (NASDAQ: ELNK), New Edge is based in Vancouver, Wash. For more information visit http://www.newedgenetworks.com or call 1-360-693-9009.