Expanding carrier control: RAD offers three systems aimed at CLECs

RAD Data Communications is reaching out to competitive local exchange carriers. Shifting away from its "box vendor" identity, it is focusing on three systems for service providers.

The Multiservice Access System supports all channelized T-1 and sub-T-3 services. The Compressed Voice System supports up to 288 voice channels over a single T-1. Finally, RAD is expanding its asynchronous transfer mode access product line to include new ATM network terminating units, said Bill Coughlin, director of marketing.

RAD also has added internetworking functionality to its Ace-101, an ATM network termination unit/access concentrator, which now supports voice and LAN traffic over ATM and has fiber optic and long haul interfaces. The Ace-20 is a new low-speed access concentrator that supports Ethernet, frame relay and voice. Both devices sit at the customer premises, repackaging all traffic so only ATM traffic flows between the customer edge and the central office.

"We're pushing ATM from the CO to the customer premises," said Ariel Caner, ATM product line manager for RAD.

Traditionally, an ATM device sits in front of the CO's ATM backbone, concentrating multiple traffic types from the customer site. RAD puts the ATM access concentrator at the CO and at the customer premises, giving carriers more control of the data that passes through the public ATM network.

The devices create longer ATM segments on the carrier network and let carriers better monitor the traffic, flow and quality of service from end to end, Caner said.

"They do all the internetworking at the customer premises," said David Peterson, Datapro research director at The Gartner Group. "They get more control, better management of their services, and that in turn allows greater flexibility and provisioning services to the customer."

The Ace-101 offers segment and end-to-end operation, administration and maintenance (OAM), allowing the carrier to alter bandwidth availability based on use. Carriers can track traffic patterns and charge customers for only what they use and more accurately implement service level agreements, Caner said.