| 02/21/00 | Communications |
With the scheduled completion of its 33,000-mile United States fiber-optic network by the end of 2000, Williams Communications is now pursuing an aggressive strategy as a global telecommunications service provider. International Private Line is the first of several international services to be launched by Williams Communications.
Combining Williams’ United States multi-service fiber-optic broadband network with international capacity supplemented by a satellite-based service, Williams International Private Line provides reliable dedicated point-to-point circuits, ranging in speed from T-1 (1.544 Mbps) to OC-3/STM-1 (155Mbps). Higher speeds can be supported on an individual case basis.
Through the use of time-division multiplexing, users of Williams International Private Line ServiceSM can integrate a number of applications, including voice, Internet, data, facsimile, messaging and video-conferencing through a single high-speed link.
Williams’ initial offering includes Traditional, One-Stop Shopping, and Full Circuit International Private Line.
Under its Traditional International Private Line service, Williams’ provides the circuit to a central point coordinating with one or more of its international partners for circuit completion.
With its One-Stop-Shopping International Private Line service, Williams works with member countries of the One Stop Shopping Forum to coordinate ordering and billing for both halves of the circuit.
Williams’ Full Circuit International Private Line service supplies carriers with end-to-end circuits to a growing number of key international markets.
Williams International Private LineSM customers will also have access to around-the-clock monitoring and centralized ordering, provisioning and billing.
“This is another example of Williams Communications’ focus on providing carriers with the support they require to be successful — quality network services and worldwide accessibility delivered with the same reliability and ease of use they have come to expect from us,” said Gordon Martin, president of carrier services for the Williams network.
Williams Communications has the largest next-generation fiber-optic network in the United States with 26,000 route miles of fiber deployed, 24,000 miles lit and 33,000 planned route miles connecting 125 cities by the end of this year. The fully integrated architecture of the Williams Multi-Service Broadband NetworkTM couples ATM core switching with advanced optical networking technologies to provide carriers with data, voice, video and Internet services over any platform. Williams Communications has earned widespread industry recognition for its network architecture — most recently the International Engineering Consortium’s InfoVision award.
About Williams Communications Group, Inc. (NYSE:WCG)
Williams Communications, through its subsidiaries, is North America’s only exclusively carrier-focused fiber-optic network and the largest independent source of end-to-end integrated business communications solutions–—data, voice or video. Based in Tulsa, Okla., Williams Communications had revenues of $2 billion in 1999 and today has 9,000 employees primarily in North America, with offices in Europe and Asia and investments in South America and Australia. Approximately 85 percent of WCG stock is held by Williams (NYSE:WMB) which, in 1985, became the first energy company to harness its core competency as a builder of networks to enable competition in the communications industry. Additional information is available at www.williams.com and www.williamscommunications.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. This news release is not an offer to sell, nor the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities. Any offer will be made only by means of a prospectus registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact Information:
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Dana Birkes (media) (918) 573-4740 Dana.birkes@williams.com |
David Cordeiro (investors) (918) 573-3142 david.cordeiro@williams.com |