Linksys, a division of Cisco Systems Inc., and MCI Inc. today announced they are joining forces to offer Linksys One, an easy, affordable and complete hosted communications solution designed specifically for small businesses.
Linksys One delivers a simple, cost-effective IP platform that small businesses can rely on for their voice, video and data requirements. “This new offering will redefine how service providers compete for the largely underserved small business market, by combining highly secure application services with an affordable IP communications platform to give small businesses what they need to better compete in today’s global marketplace,” says Marthin De Beer, vice president and general manager of the Linksys Small Business Systems Business Unit.
The Linksys One/MCI solution will offer small businesses an extensible services platform that can provide all communications hardware and services, including business-class telephones, Internet broadband access, data networking services, hosted business applications and local/long-distance VoIP services on a single connection. This eliminates the overhead and technical complexity of running separate networks. As a result, small businesses using the solution will be able to streamline their business communications and replace their separate voice, fax and data lines with a solution managed by MCI.
“MCI and Linksys are working together to create innovative IP solutions that specifically address the evolving demands of small businesses,” says Phil Meeks, senior vice president of MCI Strategic Ventures and Alliances. “Linksys One builds on the MCI/Cisco strategic relationship to deliver the plug-and-play solution small businesses have been waiting for to take full advantage of IP communications.”
With the Linksys One/MCI pre-configured system, businesses simply decide how many users are on the network and how many phone numbers they require. This unique, simple-to-use technology eliminates the need to have skilled IT professionals on staff and on site to maintain and expand the network.
As a network-based solution, the solution also helps small businesses strengthen their business continuity and disaster recovery protection. In the event of a disaster, a small business can relocate and replace their communications solution, with all configurations maintained centrally in the MCI global IP network, helping to alleviate disruptions to their operations.
“Small businesses have ever-increasing voice and data requirements, but many of them don’t have the time or money to manage and install different systems, or the ability to support them,” says Matthias Machowinski, directing analyst of enterprise voice and data for Infonetics Research. “An offering like Linksys One with hosted services from MCI can provide small businesses with a solution that helps simplify the buying of hardware and services, enabling them to better focus on their core business.”
The solution will combine MCI’s IP infrastructure via the carrier-class Cisco service node with all-new Linksys One premises equipment. MCI will manage and maintain the service node, which acts as an aggregation point for Linksys One solution customers within its global IP network.
Linksys is scheduled to begin rolling out its line of Linksys One CPE in December 2005. MCI plans to start trials in early 2006 and launch its Internet and voice services with the Linksys One system in mid-2006.
