MCI† Connection

MCI^† Connection

Previously

• 3 or more separate networks (often each had its own staff!)
• Duration/geography-based pricing
• Expensive moves, adds, and changes (typically 1+ move/person/year)
• Standalone applications - generally expensive
• Closed PBX architecture

After convergence

• via gateway to the PSTN, service expands beyond the LAN to the WAN
• centralized intelligence is offered; customers utilize a Web browser to control and manage their network
• MCI incurs the costs of buying major equipment, thus limiting customer’s risk and capital investment
• One source for all services
• Easy mobility
• Choice of vendors for Customer Premises Equipment (CPE)

^† Formerly WorldCom, now part of Verizon

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Transcript

[slide54] MCI, at the time when they existed, very aggressively went into voice-over IP. And one of their problems was they had three separate networks, every one of which required a different staff. Why? Because they had bought up, yes, cellular operators who used different technologies. That's very expensive when you're running three networks and they're not alike. But if we could turn it all into IP traffic, what happens? We have a common infrastructure suddenly and our costs go down. So after convergence, everything was turned into IP packets and they could basically say, hey, no matter which one of these standards you chose for your headsets, don't worry, we can connect them all together and one source for all your services.