Avista Communications Partners with Lucent Technologies for Strategic Network Expansion

Strategic Insights -

Avista Communications, a Pacific Northwest CLEC, has partnered with Lucent Technologies to enhance and expand its network with the purchase of Lucent's 5ESS(R) Switches, a highly reliable, packet-driven switching system. The four-year strategic agreement is valued at $25 million and will enable Avista Communications to offer a broad array of voice and data services to its current and new markets.

Key Takeaways:

  • Avista Communications will deploy Lucent's 5ESS(R) Switches in its existing and announced new markets, enhancing current central office switching capabilities in its growing network.
  • The new switching technology will allow Avista Communications to accommodate greater volumes of voice traffic as well as data service.
  • The contract is valued at $25 million and is a four-year strategic agreement.
  • Avista Communications selected Lucent's 5ESS(R) Switch because it's a flexible, software-based system that will allow the company to offer multiple communications services.
  • Reliability was a key factor in Avista Communications' selection of Lucent's technology.
  • The new switching technology will facilitate the installation of new customer lines and help prepare the company for product offerings integrating voice, video, and data over one network.
  • Gregory Green, president and CEO of Avista Communications, stated, "With this agreement, we will capitalize upon the strength of Lucent's leading-edge technology to deliver top-quality voice and data service to our customers."
  • Tim Dyer, Lucent sales vice president for emerging services providers, noted, "The 5ESS Switch is the most widely deployed system in the world, offering both the flexibility and reliability Avista Communications will need as it grows to meet its diverse customers' needs."

Statistics:

  • The contract is valued at $25 million.
  • The agreement is for a period of four years.
  • The 5ESS Switch was selected because it's a flexible, software-based system that will allow Avista Communications to offer multiple communications services.
  • The new switching technology will facilitate the installation of new customer lines and help prepare the company for product offerings integrating voice, video, and data over one network.
  • The 5ESS Switch is the most widely deployed system in the world.

Sources:

  • Avista Corp. (NYSE: AVA) subsidiary Avista Communications and Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU)
  • Lucent Technologies http://www.lucent.com
  • Avista Communications http://www.avistacom.net
  • Avista Corp. http://www.avistacorp.com