Company Cites Immense Broadband Opportunity as Data Evolution Continues
VANCOUVER, Wash., Aug. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Electric Lightwave Inc.
(Nasdaq: ELIX), one of the nation's leading integrated communications
providers, today announced implementation of the largest, ringed Synchronous
Optical Network (SONET) network in the western United States.
"As an integrated communications provider, Electric Lightwave's combined
SONET-based long-haul routes and ringed Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)
offer a full suite of services over one broadband network," said Dave Sharkey,
president and chief operating officer of Electric Lightwave. "We'll be able to
provide our customers with higher quality service at extremely competitive
rates. The unmatched redundancy and network scaleability of this fiber-based
system is a key component of what we are building: the most robust, highest
quality, competitive network in the West."
Electric Lightwave's entire 3,000-mile SONET-ring -- to be completed in
the fall of 1999 -- consists of two legs: this 1,300-mile route from
Portland, Ore. through Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles; and a
previously announced 1,600-mile inland route that will interconnect Electric
Lightwave's current market clusters in Portland, Boise, Salt Lake City,
Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
This network will connect with other broadband long-haul routes including
Seattle to Portland; Portland to Spokane; Portland to Eugene; Seattle to
Spokane, currently under construction and Las Vegas to Phoenix. Once complete,
this network of more than 4,500 miles will deliver unmatched speed,
reliability and advanced capabilities to Electric Lightwave's customers.
"This SONET-ring represents a tremendous competitive advantage because it
completes the ring to all our cluster markets, reduces our costs and allows us
to provide our customers with end-to-end services on our own network," said
Sharkey. "It also allows the company the flexibility to rapidly expand into
additional market clusters along a scaleable network that will take us well
into the next millennium."
Electric Lightwave currently serves 83 municipalities including major
metropolitan areas such as San Francisco and Los Angeles. Electric Lightwave
has previously announced plans to launch services in a dozen major markets
across the country including Chicago, Atlanta, New York and Boston by the end
of the year.
About Electric Lightwave
Electric Lightwave Inc. is an integrated communications provider offering
data, Internet access and broadband transport services to businesses
nationwide. In the western United States, the company is a full-service
provider offering local and long distance telephone service, videoconferencing
and prepaid services to business customers. The company is headquartered in
Vancouver, Wash. Visit Electric Lightwave on the World Wide Web at
http://www.eli.net.
NOTE: All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their
respective owners, with no intent to infringe.
SOURCE Electric Lightwave, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.eli.net
CONTACT:
investors, John Unverferth, 360-816-3217, or
john_unverferth@eli.net, or media, Jack Hardy, 360-816-3602, or
jack_hardy@eli.net, both of Electric Lightwave, Inc.; or Michele
Ruegg, 425-450-9965, or micheler@kmcgroup.com, or Christina
Velasquez, 425-450-9965, or christinav@kmcgroup.com, both of The
KMC Group for Electric Lightwave
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