MCI WorldCom (www.worldcom.com) raised the stakes in network subscriber self-provisioning with the launch of World Wide Web-accessible self-service portals that already claim more than 100 private network users as customers.
The two new services are Smart Bandwidth on Command for ATM and Web Digital Reconfiguration Service (Web DRS).
The Smart Bandwidth service enables an ATM access services customer to access MCI WorldCom's policy server. And, via standard browsers, customers can self-provision new permanent or switched virtual circuits in real time, alter quality of service levels and user permissions, swap bandwidth among sites, or re-balance circuit speeds according to the type of data or voice application in use.
At the ComNet trade show in Washington, Accelerated Networks Inc. (www.acceleratednetworks.com) and Mariposa Technology Inc. (www.mariposatech.com) contributed integrated access and ATM switching technology to demonstrate packet voice, data and video service manipulation using Smart Bandwidth.
For non-ATM, private line customers, Web DRS enables dynamic control of DS-0 (64-kilobit-per-second) or DS-1 (1.5-megabit-per-second) circuits across MCI WorldCom backbone networks for applications including disaster recover and special event bandwidth reservation.
"It used to take five days to configure a permanent circuit, and now that's been shrunk to 20 seconds," said Melanie Hanssen, director of ATM marketing for MCI WorldCom.
