Lucent Technologies today introduced three new small switching solutions that specifically target service providers who need less than 5,000 lines. The solutions are available through a number of U.S. business partners who have agreed to sell and support the products.
Service providers can use the the VCDX 2400, VCDX 4700 and the 5E-XC Remote Line Unit to supplant existing switches that need replacement or to enter new markets to provide residential and business voice services to small towns and rural communities.
Lucent's new offers set the foundation for service providers to be able to provide business and residential customers in small communities with advanced telecommunications services including IP Centrex, Web-based contact centers and Internet call waiting.
The new VCDX offers initially will be available through four accredited switching Lucent Business Partners: DTel, Dynavar, Madison Group and Sunbelt Telecommunications. Both the VCDX 2400 and VCDX 4700 provide the service provider with turnkey solutions (hardware, software, engineering services, installation services and program management services) and enable them to serve approximately 2,400 and 4,700 subscribers respectively. These offers complement the current product models that serve up to 28,000 subscribers.
The 5E-XC Remote Line Unit, which supports up to 3,000 subscribers and runs off a host 5E-XC switch, is offered through the Business Partners Program and directly from Lucent. The remote line unit now can provide emergency standalone capability, allowing the unit to continue to switch 911 and intra-community calls if there's an interruption in the line to the host switch. Customer studies of the 5E-XC Remote Line Unit indicate savings of more than 75 percent each year on the total cost of owning a switch including office space, power and cooling. Both the 5E-XC Remote Line Unit and the current VCDX software release 5E16.2 recently were certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS). Rural carriers can apply for RUS low-interest loans and grants to purchase RUS-certified equipment.
Customers deploying the VCDX offers also will have the option of adding 5E-XC components and features that work with other IP based network elements to provide next-generation services, such as IP Centrex. These IP networks will be enabled by SIP, which supports new revenue services and a much more cost effective delivery mechanism for existing and future services.
