FairPoint has begun offering its business customers a new Managed Wireless Local Area Network (Managed WLAN) service, enabling it to strengthen its customer bond as it sees increased competition from a new Charter and Comcast Business.
Centrally managed by FairPoint to quickly and proactively resolve any network performance issues, the Managed WLAN service provides wireless connectivity. The new service is based on Adtran's ProCloud Plus solution
Customers that sign up for the product will also be able to get access to free software upgrades that FairPoint will conduct on the Adtran Wi-Fi equipment as they are released.
Another key element of the service is support. IT managers will be able to access a cloud-based online system to manage their network preferences, and monitor network status and performance. Business customers can also use FairPoint’s 24/7 Help Desk resources.
One of the benefits of this service is that it will enable businesses to better target their core focus while extending an organization’s LAN infrastructure without the cost of network wiring. The service also supports corporate and personal devices with secure wireless access to company data and applications.
FairPoint’s timing could not be better, particularly as the telco is facing a growing presence of more powerful cable MSOs like Charter and Comcast, as well as CLECs like FirstLight Fiber.
Comcast Business has been increasingly expanding its network presence in FairPoint’s Northern New England region. In 2015, Comcast made its Ethernet service suite available to businesses in multiple New Hampshire and Vermont communities. By making these network expansions, Comcast Business can lure CLEC and local ILEC customers that have only been able to get access to slower speed T-1 circuits.
Similar to FairPoint, Comcast Business previously launched a managed Wi-Fi service called Wi-Fi Pro, which includes a series of cloud-based controls, marketing tools and other advanced capabilities. Wi-Fi Pro offers business customers two commercial Wi-Fi networks – a private network for employees and a guest network for visitors and patrons.
Charter Communications, which now has a deeper footprint in northern New England states like Maine, will also be a growing factor in the Norther New England business market.
As a result of its acquisitions of Time Warner Cable and Bright House, the cable MSO recently surpassed Verizon as the third largest Ethernet provider, according to Vertical Systems Group’s mid-year Ethernet Leaderboard which measures port share performance. Charter immediately gained a larger fiber and hybrid fiber coax footprint to target more small, medium and large businesses with Ethernet services.
For more:
- see the release
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