| To: CJ who wrote (76) | 11/16/1998 3:36:00 PM | | From: Justin C | of 271 | | |
Williams Declares Intention to Enter Switched Services Market in 1999;Nortel Networks to Provide Switches in Williams Nationwide Broadband Network
TULSA, Okla., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Williams (NYSE: WMB) today announced it will provide switched voice services -- including a full suite of long distance services -- to the wholesale carrier and reseller market using Nortel Networks' high-speed voice and data switches.
The company plans to make switched services available nationwide by June 1, 1999. Williams, under the trade name WilTel, had become the leading provider of wholesale switched services by 1995, until the sale of that business unit to LDDS/WorldCom in January of that year.
"The current long distance market in the United States is approaching $100 billion, of which the wholesale segment represents roughly 20 percent and is projected to grow at a compound rate of 21 percent each year for the next three years. Switched long-distance services are an integral part of our commitment to offering a comprehensive set of products and services to our wholesale customers," said Gordon Martin, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Williams network.
"Williams' award-winning MultiService Broadband Network(TM) is uniquely optimized to provide high-speed capacity to wholesale customers, as well as a full set of products and services. We will take advantage of our systems capabilities, knowledge base and low-cost network position to offer carriers and resellers value they have not had available up to this point. This will enable Williams to once again capture a major position in the long distance market within three years," Martin said.
Williams plans to use Nortel Network's DMS-250 long-distance switching system, including integrated OC-3 and ATM trunking capability and Service Builder Intelligent Networking portfolio, in its backbone network.
"Williams selected Nortel Networks as its vendor for switched services because of the company's excellent record of providing cost-effective and reliable solutions," said Joe Turcotte, senior vice president and chief operations officer for the Williams network. "Nortel Networks is the premier North American provider of convergent Class 4 switches with ATM interfaces, and we are confident that they can provide us with the equipment we need to develop our switched voice product."
Williams has one of the largest nationwide fiber-optic networks in the United States, reaching 18,000 miles and 63 cities in 1998 and is scheduled to expand to 32,000 miles connecting 120 cities by the end of 2000. The network being constructed employs the latest in fiber-optic technology and recently won the top award at SuperComm '98 for innovative network design. Williams is the first carrier to introduce a fully integrated Multi-Service Broadband Network(TM). This next-generation architecture couples intelligent switches with an ATM backbone to give Williams' customers a full feature set over the platform they choose. Using OC 192 transport systems with Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing, the Williams network delivers up to 160 Gbps in 16 waves on a single fiber. Ninety-six to 144 fibers are typically installed in every Williams build with multiple conduits, leaving open conduits to meet future needs.
About Williams
Williams, through its subsidiaries, provides a full range of traditional and leading-edge communications and energy services, and is the nation's largest volume transporter of natural gas. Williams' communications enterprises include a U.S.-based wholesale multimedia fiber-optic network; North American single-source business communications systems integration; international video satellite and fiber-optic transmission, business television and multipoint video and audio conferencing applications. Williams information is available at www.twc.com and www.wilcom.com, and www.willtales.com.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Portions of this document may constitute "forward-looking statements" as defined by federal law. Although the company believes any such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that actual outcomes will not be materially different. Any such statements are made in reliance on the "safe harbor" protections provided under the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Additional information about issues that could lead to material changes in performance is contained in the company's annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Williams
CO: Williams; Nortel Networks
ST: Oklahoma
IN: TLS
SU:
11/16/98 14:51 EST prnewswire.com 
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