MCI Accelerates Push Into VoIP Business Markets

In an indication that VoIP is moving rapidly into business markets, MCI announced on Wednesday that it is accelerating the roll out of its wholesale VoIP product suite, in response to demand from customers.

The wholesale service is two-pronged and aimed at carrier-class IP termination customers and SIP Gateway service users.

"Carrier IP termination is really for our customers' customers," said Mike Yancey, MCI's director of Voice Products, Management Whole Services. "It could be any type of carrier customers--Verizon, AOL, ISPs, cable, for instance." He added that the carrier IP termination service is available to customers throughout the nation.

MCI, always strong in long distance phoning markets, noted that it originally had adapted its carrier IP termination service to TDM functionality. Yancey added that the IP carrier service will appeal to customers who already posses media gateway gear and who want to terminate some traffic over MCI's integrated network. He said the carrier offering is built on MCI's long distance legacy.

"MCI customers are demanding VoIP-enablement products that not only have the necessary features and functionality, but that ride on an integrated global network," said John Krummel, senior vice president of MCI Wholesale Services, in a statement.The SIP Gateway Service, on the other hand, is available to about 54 percent of U.S. residential and business customers, the firm said. Noting that the VoIP products had initially been announced in February and had been scheduled for introduction in the market later in the year, Yancey said customer demand had prompted MCI to move up the availability of the VoIP products.

The company said it has earmarked more than $1 million in capital expenditures this year to launch the VoIP services. MCI indicated that it has beefed up its VoIP team, which will offer local network reach and service functionality such as e911, directories, and the line ID database.

MCI is in the process of being acquired by Verizon Communications. The latter company has its own VoIP offering called VoiceWing, which is aimed primarily at residential markets.