MCI WorldCom Takes Internet Speeds To New Limits With Nationwide Deployment Of OC-48c
Major Upgrade to UUNET Network Includes Immediate Availability of East Coast Link LOS ANGELES, Internet World, April 14, 1999 - UUNET, a division of MCI WorldCom and a global leader in Internet communications solutions, today announced its most significant increase in bandwidth speed and capacity for its U.S. Internet network, activating a lit OC-48c on the East Coast and outlining plans to expand OC-48c nationwide in July 1999. Once the OC-48c upgrade is complete, UUNET will carry Internet traffic over approximately 250,000 OC-12c miles which equates to more than 60,000 OC-48c miles and marks the largest deployment of OC-48c to date.
"Coast-to-coast deployment of OC-48c is a major milestone in an industry that has seen only limited use of very high-capacity bandwidth," said Mark Spagnolo, president and CEO of UUNET. "UUNET has consistently pushed the envelope to develop the fastest, most reliable Internet network in the industry. A build-out of OC-48c, for its immediate benefits and as a foundation for future high-capacity networks, will enable our customers to do even more with IP-based technologies."
Deployment of OC-48c allows UUNET to carry more commercial traffic at the highest Internet Protocol (IP) transmission speeds available. The company will quadruple its current network speed of OC-12c (622 megabits per second) and will now carry 2.4 gigabits of data per second.
OC-48c also allows UUNET to stay ahead of customer demand for faster applications and connectivity options by providing the company's business customers with the fastest access services and connections available in the market.
Network Migration
UUNET has already completed and activated OC-48c on the East Coast, a region with particularly heavy Internet traffic. The activated links currently carry commercial Internet traffic between hubs located in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta.
UUNET will complete the migration to OC-48c in the segments that connect the network's major hubs throughout the U.S. Those hubs carry commercial Internet traffic across the country and connect to many regional network loops. UUNET's major hubs include locations in the following cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Portland, Sacramento, Seattle, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, St. Louis and Washington, D.C.
UUNET is also in the planning stages to upgrade its European networks at comparable speeds.
Network Equipment
UUNET has led the industry in deploying technology in its network that offers the most reliable and robust Internet transmissions over high-bandwidth connections. Currently, UUNET deploys ATM switches in the network, which enable quality transmissions of traffic at OC-48c speeds.
UUNET is also a leader in the industry drive toward the use of next generation MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching) technology in the network. MPLS, one of the most advanced Internet technologies in the industry, will fulfill even higher demand and scale for Internet bandwidth and will support an easy upgrade path as UUNET advances its network to OC-192c speeds.
