Would you like voice or data with that?

While data continues to be a hot topic of the year, one company has come out with an edge-networking device touted as "voice-only." Telco Systems is offering stripped-down versions of its data-capable EdgeLink300 device to support solely voice capabilities. The units can be upgraded by adding software and a card.

Targeted at competitive local exchange carriers, the cost of the voice-only versions will be reduced by 21% from the data-ready version, thus pushing down the cost per line over T-1 (1.54 Mb/s).

"The immediate needs are getting line counts up today, and data can be added later," said John Phillips, vice president of business development for the transport and access division of World Access.

"This product addresses a lower cost plan and provides an upgrade path for data that CLECs will need in the future," added Dave LeBeau, president of Telco Systems.

CLECs moving toward data can use a single platform for stripped-out versions while meeting customer-specific needs, LeBeau said. He also pointed out that although the data would be disabled, management can still be done via a Web-enabled browser.

"With the Web browser management interface, the device can be operated locally or remotely," LeBeau said.

The EdgeLink300 "has a smaller footprint that the CLECs want," said Ladan Mestchian, a senior analyst with International Data Corp. "Other vendors like Premisys and Carrier Access are offering similar products to the EdgeLink300 integrated access device, with a similar price, footprint and remote functionality."

Those items are necessary for a vendor to be taken seriously, Mestchian said.