LEC first to offer frame relay voice

Ameritech is the first local exchange carrier to offer voice-over-frame relay services, enabling its customers to send internal company voice traffic over dedicated frame relay connections.

Ameritech announced last week at Networld+Interop '96 in Atlanta that it would offer Motorola's 6520 MPRouters to support the voice traffic on its frame relay network.

"Our customers have asked for this capability, and Motorola is the best solution to offer it," said Eric Hyde, director of data and video product marketing at Ameritech's Custom Business Services division.

But because the Frame Relay Forum has yet to finalize a voice-over-frame relay implementation agreement, Ameritech customers are limited to using only Motorola frame relay access devices. The Forum is expected to act by the end of this year (see story on page 24).

"Standards will be required before voice-over-frame relay will be widely deployed," said John Coons, analyst at Dataquest, a San Jose-based consultancy.

Ameritech also announced it is offering 38 GHz microwave connectivity through a new strategic alliance with Advanced Radio Telecom. The LEC's Wireless Broadband Services is a local loop access service that will let it provision service more quickly in certain circumstances and in areas where fiber cable is difficult or impossible to deploy. The service is to become available in November.