AT&T Optical Transport Services
AT&T has extended off-the-shelf international capacity throughout Latin America; in 2009, the carrier is working to incorporate ILEC-side transport management into BusinessDirect, and is mesh-enabling international undersea networks. (7/14/2009)

Level 3 Optical Transport Services
Level 3's optical transport services portfolio is threatening to competitors, because the carrier has built its core business focus around offering modern, high-capacity optical services. (6/25/2009)

Qwest Optical Transport Services
Qwest formally brought Ethernet Private Line service into its retail portfolio, complementing its expanded Ethernet services reach. Qwest kept documentation fully intact as it changed tariffs to service guides, a boon for prospective customers. (7/9/2009)

Verizon Optical Transport Services
FCC forbearance enabled Verizon to grandfather its ILEC tariffs in favor of flexible pricing via private agreements. The carrier debuted new ROADM-powered metro DWDM capabilities, and is expanding outage-resistant mesh transport architectures. (7/7/2009)

XO Communications Optical Transport Services
XO continues to play low-cost alternative and strong rival to Level 3 along many of the same core rights-of-way. In optical Ethernet transport, the carrier is building out new speed tiers to complement a broadening Ethernet access product line. (12/3/2008)

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Report Contents

• Solution Description
  
• Solution Elements
  
• Solution Strengths/Weaknesses
  
• Key Selection Criteria

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Optical Transport Services Solution Elements

• Metro SONET
  • Optical access services that offer a SONET or SDH interface
    
• Long-haul SONET
  
• Interexchange and undersea/international transport capacity at optical speeds
  
• Metro Wavelength
  
• Single and multi-wavelength access services, including interfaces that run on dense
• wavelength division multiplexing platforms; also metro dark fiber
  
• Long-haul Wavelength
  
• Interexchange transport employing a dedicated wavelength; also long-haul dark
• fiber
  
• Metro Optical Ethernet
  
• Simple Ethernet-on-fiber and Ethernet-on-SONET access using dedicated capacity
  
• Long-Haul Optical Ethernet
  
• Interexchange optical Ethernet services using dedicated capacity
  
• Channel Extension
  
• Channel communications interfaces, offered across metro (and rarely, long-haul) fiber transport

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Optical Transport Services Selection Criteria

• Platform
  Platform describes the carrier's SONET, wavelength/DWDM, and Ethernet platforms used to provide core network and metro network optical transport services. The discussion can include platform-specific abilities and constraints not covered by “Speeds and Options:” for example, limitations on the number of nodes on a ring or the number of simultaneous wavelengths on a fiber. Platform may also address complementary optical transport gear such as cross-connects.
  
  
• Price
  Price consists of the non-discounted tariff cost for a service in a sample configuration. Pricing examples default to a three-year contract term. For metro service, a sample consists of two nodes located 10 VH miles apart for point-to-point and four nodes located a total of 20 VH miles apart for a ring configuration. All price examples exclude the cost of all additional services, including basic redundancy and diversity options. Where available, tariffed installation costs for service are also included.
  
  
• Reach
  Reach is a collective measurement of market presence for the optical networks and underlying fiber infrastructure in a carrier's access, domestic long-haul, and international services, via both terrestrial trans-border and undersea cable routes. Where possible, on-net reach aims to include fiber quality and market breakouts by regulatory designation (e.g., RBOC/incumbent local carrier, interexchange carrier, competitive access provider). Off-net reach includes carrier partnerships and optical interconnect options.
  
  
• Reliability
  Reliability examines the service level availability guarantees offered for each service. The metrics governed by SLA guarantees typically include installation, service reliability/availability, and time to respond (with or without a technician field dispatch). Reliability also examines credits available to customers if a carrier fails to meet its service guarantees. The category seeks to include information on standard, enhanced (with redundancy), and premium guarantees where this information is available.
  
  
• Speeds and Options
  Speeds and options address the array of value-added services offered, including the speeds and types of interfaces available with each service. Speeds and options also include standard contract term lengths for service and, where available and relevant, touch on the management platform available for various types of service.