INDATEL, ANPI drive unified communications, fiber connectivity into rural areas

INDATEL, a cooperative middle mile provider, and unified communications (UC) operator ANPI have developed a strategic alliance to find ways to better extend next-gen services to rural areas that have been left largely underserved by larger service providers.

Both entities will bring their respective strengths to the table.

ANPI will deliver its Hosted Unified Communications Private Label Package. It includes a fully integrated, turn-key solution with local interconnection, nationwide direct inward dialing, marketing and sales tools that Tier 2 and Tier 3 carriers can use to serve their business customers that are looking to upgrade their existing phone service systems.

Meanwhile, INDATEL will offer its Data and Internet Aggregation PoP located on Cermak Street in Chicago, which houses a content delivery network (CDN) services peering point, an Ethernet exchange and transit IP services aggregation. At this site, the service provider houses its member-to-member circuits and exchange-to-exchange circuits.

Under the terms of the agreement, the first part of the partnership is being built around INDATEL's Chicago interconnection point, with a focus on traffic transport efficiencies. Going forward, the two companies said they expect to escalate quickly to joint planning on the offering of new technology and possible joint efforts enhancing the rollout of hosted UC.

Scott Hoffmann, president of INDATEL, said that while they are keen on driving coordinated marketing and product development initiatives, the partnership is "also an excellent opportunity for detailed discussions about call completion problems, rural economic development and numerous other crucial issues."

 For more:
- see the release

Related articles:
Congress' Walden, Murphy raise questions about EAGLE-Net middle mile network
Zayo completes Anoka County, Minn., middle mile network
Frontier's West Va. middle mile project nearly complete
Mass. Broadband Institute turns up section of middle mile network