Jun 21, 2005 4:38 PM,

WilTel targets enterprise voice market

By Carol Wilson

Freed from the restrictions of its contract with SBC Communications, WilTel Communications is targeting large enterprise customers with voice services.

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The company already sells data services to enterprises, but under its transport agreement with SBC, could not sell voice. That agreement was terminated a week ago, and replaced by a new Master Service Agreement with no such restrictions.

WilTel intends to target large enterprises that are looking for customized solutions and hands-on customer support, said Blaine Gilles, senior vice president of voice services and strategic markets.

"Our sales pitch will be to say here's what our capabilities are to customize solutions for you," he said. "In some areas, we have advantages over the RBOCs. We can customize solutions, spend time with the customer, and build a package of services that conform to what they need. From an engineering perspective, what we provide will exceed what they can get from a very large company that, because of its size is forced to sell [pre-set] packages of services."

WilTel believes it can compete effectively with the consolidated SBC-AT&T and Verizon-MCI, Gilles said, because "the larger companies grow, the more niches they create beneath them."

The carrier is not backing away from the service provider market but does believe it can more effectively serve very large enterprises--$10,000 in telecom per month or more--through direct service, he said.

"We will maintain a very strong support for our carrier customers," he said. "They are the primary channel that we have to sell to end-user subscribers."

WilTel already serves more than 20 million long-distance customers through the direct resale of its service, Gilles said.

WilTel's Enterprise Voice services will include switched and dedicated voice and toll-free calling as well as international dialing, both in traditional TDM and VoIP options. The company's initial offering is basic, Gilles said, but WilTel will add integrated access options and voice VPNs by year's end.