HomeNewsCOLT launches Ethernet services for SMEs

COLT launches Ethernet services for SMEs

COLT, a leading European provider of business communications, today announced that it has completed the deployment of new Ethernet technologies in Europe, providing SMEs with affordable and highly scalable Ethernet connection, up to 100mbps. The development in COLT’s portfolio is part of an ongoing programme to offer COLT-grade Ethernet services at any site size across Europe.

SME customers using COLT unbundled DSL can now enjoy speeds of up to 40mbps and benefit from differentiated classes of service across the DSL network.
“Ethernet has traditionally been used by larger organisations for wide area networks, but with businesses looking to increase their use of video-conferencing, centralise IT applications and use software as a service, we are seeing real Ethernet demand from the SME sector.” said Carl Robertson, director of SME products and marketing for COLT.

“Ethernet is the obvious choice because it is the simplest, most flexible and most affordable way to deliver IT applications across a company. With the economic climate changing the face of business, flexibility in terms of reach and bandwidth is essential. Now more than ever before, businesses need access to choice and value for money.”

Recent forecasts by IDC support this Ethernet growth trend. According to IDC’s latest European WAN Managers survey 2008, there will be an 18% increase in companies using Ethernet in 2009.

COLT, a four time winner of the Metro Ethernet Forum’s European Service Provider of the year award, has also made a series of developments to its Ethernet services in the last year including expanding COLT-grade Ethernet to the USA to New York, Chicago, Boston and Newark. It is also using the latest Carrier Ethernet technology as the basis for its next generation network. COLT’s multi-service platform is already being used to service customers across COLT’s network and is being rolled out across COLT’s pan-European network in the next quarter.

Notes to editors:
• COLT is the only carrier capable of offering competitive, high speed guaranteed symmetrical services up 40 mbps (over copper phone lines) in 12 European countries over its own unbundled local loop (note: this service is not available in the UK).

• COLT has achieved these speeds by deploying EFM technology in more than 230 Cos (exchanges), and has seen exceptionally fast uptake for the service in Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland.

• The large coverage is partially due to the deployment of a new ATM Gateway which allows COLT to provide customers with point-to-point and Ethernet VPN services via its existing unbundled COs (exchanges) or via wholesale DSL and to combine them with any other access type.

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