Expedient’s “Ethernet Anywhere” Peps Up Reliable Copper Lines to Fiber-Like Speeds
(TEQ: July/August 2005) - Remember your father’s old Volkswagen? It was simple, economical, pretty cool to look at, but oh so slow - kind of like Internet connectivity on copper lines.
Well, there’s a digital divide in this country, where those who do business over fiber enjoy speeds the folks using standard old copper can only envy. But what if you could juice up that trusty Volkswagen and venture into the fast lane without the huge capital investment of fiber?
Expedient says it has the horsepower to make this possible with its new Ethernet Anywhere service. As Expedient Director of Corporate Marketing Eric Wahl puts it, “Our network starts at the customer’s business location. Our Ethernet Anywhere technology transforms multiple copper pairs to your building into a single high-speed Ethernet connection capable of delivering 45 MB/sec.”
Wahl adds that, “Ethernet Anywhere does directly help bridge the ‘digital divide’ found in the business community. Many organizations are struggling to bring to their employees the right technology to best complete their jobs. Part of that struggle has been found in connectivity. Often touted as paradigm-shifting technologies like VoIP, CRM and disaster recovery remain in the realm of technology hype because, to fully exploit these technologies, there is a baseline need for high-capacity bandwidth.”
Technology to Get the Job Done
The challenge for many small- and medium-sized businesses is that the high bandwidth equates to high cost, making the new technologies prohibitive beyond their own merit.
Traditionally, only the large multinationals have been able to embrace these new technologies and gain the benefits. Ethernet Anywhere evens the playing field, according to Wahl, by making high-capacity access affordable, effectively lowering the cost of new technology entry.
Who benefits most from Ethernet Anywhere?
“Law firms that operate locations in multiple cities must be able search, retrieve and exchange information among offices and with the courts from huge in-house and on- line data bases,” Wahl answers and continues. “Multimedia production companies that store, edit, upload and download huge digital files, including broadcast-quality video, can benefit, as well as architectural design houses that exchange, edit, archive, post and search multiple versions of bandwidth-eating drawings; and engineering firms that maintain extensive project histories, including design proposals, work-order changes and complete site cross-section files.”
“Often huge files must be shared among several sub-contractors simultaneously, which challenges the capacity limits of many traditional Internet and solution offerings. There are medical centers and physician group practices that store medical records and search, retrieve and exchange information, including x-ray, MRI and other imaging files with huge capacity requirements. Also, auto dealers and parts suppliers maintain extensive inventory data bases that require near-immediate access to satisfy demanding customer-service needs.”
“Expedient is a natural fit for most organizations,” Wahl argues. “Unlike some of our competitors, Expedient has its own network. Expedient designs and operates its network around three simple principles of being fast, flexible, reliable. Whether a customer needs a super-charged copper connection or a lightning-fast fiber connection, Expedient’s network can deliver what your business needs.”
But Expedient is more than just Ethernet Anywhere.
“If your business demands more speed than our copper technology provides,” Wahl continues, “Expedient operates hundreds of route miles of fiber optic cable that can scale to gigabit speeds. Our redundant ring architectures assure that, even in the case of a fiber optic cut, your service automatically recovers so that you can continue operations. Most importantly, our products scale with your business - no more having to fit into what speeds the telephone company thinks you need.”
Part of the Region’s Tech Fabric
In addition to developing innovative network technology, Ohio-based Expedient has invested itself in the region by setting up shop in Pittsburgh.
“Pittsburgh is a big part of Expedient,” Wahl says. “The acquisition of Stargate’s Business Services was a major milestone in our company’s life. As one of the gems of the e-commerce movement in Pittsburgh, Stargate had a rich and wonderful relationship in the community. This richness lives on today as Expedient.”
“It is the largest ISP in western Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh, like many other former manufacturing behemoths, struggled in the past few years of economic downturn.”
The technology industry in particular has had some very sobering times compared to the go-go 1990s. But as foretold in the [Pittsburgh Technology] Council’s State of the Industry Report 2005, the technology companies have stabilized and are poised for growth. We, too, think that the return to growth has already begun in our community.
“Pittsburgh’s future technology prospects are based on the strong foundation the community as a whole can provide. The replenishing well of passion, imagination and technical expertise are injected into the community through the local universities and venture capitalists seeding the next great technologies.”
Steeped in innovative technology, reliable service and local roots, Expedient really is much like the beloved, old Volkswagen - it just has a lot more horsepower.
Media Contact:
Bill Kirchner ©2000-2005 Pittsburgh Technology Council http://news.pghtech.org/teq/teqstory.cfm?ID=1388