Alaska Communications rolls out Carrier Ethernet 2.0-based service

Alaska Communications is now offering its existing and new business customers a Carrier Ethernet 2.0 (CE 2.0) based Business Ethernet Services line.

Businesses that sign up for the service have their choice of three SLAs (service level agreements)-- Gold, Silver and Bronze--with the opportunity to prioritize services and applications based on network and business priorities.

In March, Alaska Communications became the first service provider in the state to gain the Metro Ethernet Forum's (MEF) Carrier Ethernet 2.0 certification.

Along with Comcast Business (Nasdaq: CMCSA) in the United States and Telstra Wholesale in Australia, Alaska Communications became the third service provider in the world at that time to have its services certified under the new MEF standard.

CE 2.0 incorporates a number of new features including multiple Classes of Service and an easier interconnection process for eight standard service types, in addition to enabling efficiencies in mobile backhaul applications.

Delivering Ethernet to businesses has become a priority for the telco. During the second quarter, business and wholesale revenue rose by $2.2 million, or 8.7 percent.

To reach more businesses with higher speed broadband-capable services such as Ethernet, Alaska Communications began the rollout of its fiber to the node (FTTN) build plan that it said would "significantly improve our broadband capabilities for business customers and sustain our long-term growth." This initiative will begin in Anchorage this year and will expand into other areas of the state in the next few years.

For more:
- see the release

Related articles:
Alaska Communications gets CE 2.0 certification nod from MEF
Telstra Wholesale joins the Carrier Ethernet 2.0 club
Comcast Business gets MEF Carrier Ethernet 2.0 certification