FairPoint taps into the cloud-based hosted PBX service opportunity

FairPoint Communications (Nasdaq: FRP) is taking advantage of the growing cloud services trend with the introduction of its new Hosted PBX targeting new New England-based business service opportunities.

Similar to other Hosted PBX offerings in the market, this service enables businesses to support various voice and data services without the need to install and maintain an on-site phone system.

Ideal for remote workers and companies with traveling sales teams, the new service will offer a host of traditional features such as voicemail and call waiting and advanced features including call handling, mobile functionality, remote access and disaster recovery capabilities. Customers will also have access to a customized Web portal that allows them to conveniently manage their phone systems in real time from the cloud.

It appears that FairPoint is targeting the service at both new and existing customers that will use its Ethernet services.

To deliver the cloud-based service, it will provision a virtual IP PBX on its softswitch platform and deliver the service functions over its Ethernet transport service that already delivers Internet access and other point-to-point or point-to-multipoint Ethernet data transport services. By using the Ethernet network, the telco can keep the Hosted PBX calls separate from the open Internet.

Ethernet and IP services have become an increasingly bigger factor in FairPoint's business service revenues. During the second quarter, Ethernet contributed about $14 million of revenue, up from $10 million in the same period a year ago. Retail and wholesale circuits grew 49.2 percent year-over-year.

For more:
- see the release

Related articles:
FairPoint allocates $1.03M to extend, upgrade broadband infrastructure in 44 Maine towns
FairPoint expands broadband footprint in 18 N.H. towns
FairPoint accepts $3.3M in CAF I rural broadband funding
FairPoint's data, Internet services revenue grow 11 percent to $40 million