Global One, Focal ink agreement

(Telephony) Global One and Focal Communications have signed a deal under which Focal will provide Global One with voice services to customers in 21 U.S. cities. Under the Master Service Agreement, Focal will sell wholesale services, which will then be marketed with other data services to large enterprise users under the Global One brand. The agreement is non-exclusive but is the first for Global One with a local competitive player in the U.S. Previously the company had provided voice services through agreements with incumbent carriers.

“Focal can bid on any kind of voice service that Global One needs in terms of terminating international traffic or providing domestic U.S. voice services,” said a Global One spokesman. “It will be all be Global One branded services.”

Additionally, the two companies signed a deal by which they will work together to market and sell Global One data solutions, including Global Frame Relay and Global ATM. That agreement is expect to expand in the next few months to include Global One’s IP services.

The deal marks another expansion into the U.S. for the France Telecom-owned company after the dissolution of it joint ownership status with Deutsche Telekom and Sprint. Sprint, while no longer having an ownership stake in Global One, does provide a number of services to the company, including long distance capacity and some data services.