Frame Relay & ATM Services-Domestic
AT&T High Speed Packet Services (HSPS) consist of Domestic Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and Frame Relay Services which enable high-speed transmission of voice, data, video and multimedia applications on a single network by supporting rapidly changing bandwidth demands (bursty traffic). AT&T's powerful HSPS enable customers to offer highly marketable services to their end users and enhance their internal business operations.
AT&T HSPS offers high reliability and throughput. To improve performance, AT&T uses a congestion management algorithm that ensures that customers receive Committed Information Rate (CIR) bandwidth at all times, instead of over an average time period, as other carriers' networks may provide. AT&T's ReliaBURST® technology allocates excess bandwidth for bursting in proportion to each customer's subscribed CIR. It prevents one customer's data transmission from negatively affecting the bursting capabilities of other customers. The result is low congestion, high data delivery and fairly allocated throughput for all network end users.
Availability
AT&T ATM and Frame Relay Services are available in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, from any AT&T central office that provides DS1 service.
ATM
AT&T ATM Service is a dedicated connection switching technology that organizes digital data into packets and transmits them using digital signals. Because ATM Service is a multiplexed protocol with sophisticated routing capabilities, it supports rapidly changing bandwidth demands (bursty traffic). ATM enables customers with bandwidth-intensive applications to integrate voice, video, data and multimedia applications onto a single high-speed network. ATM supports high-speed data applications with the minimum delay and delay-variability required for video and voice applications. AT&T offers local and international ATM Service, as well as managed ATM Service.
AT&T ATM allows any-to-any end-point connectivity between local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). ATM bandwidth runs from 1.544 Mbps (DS1) to 622 Mbps (OC-12) for port speeds and from 4 Kpbs to 65 Mbps for Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC) speeds, depending on the Quality of Service (QoS) class. Inverse multiplexing for ATM (IMA) is supported at speeds of 3.088 Mbps (2xT1) to 12.352 Mbps (8xT1).
Frame Relay
AT&T Frame Relay is a data transport service that uses packet-switching technology to route data over a public network. Frame Relay Service provides the speed and reliability of data private line services without the cost of a private network. Simple connections and low-cost equipment allow customers to use Frame Relay service to connect their LANs easily. As a result, customers gain the performance of a private network--but without the cost--while increasing flexibility and unifying their networks. AT&T's offering is a premier service, running on a core Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) backbone to ensure customers optimal reliability and security.
A Frame Relay device divides data file into individual frames (packets), addresses each frame, and sends the frames onto the network. AT&T's network encapsulates each frame and uses the address to determine routing. Each frame travels separately through the public network to its destination. Upon arrival, the Frame Relay device at the destination removes the address and reassembles the frames into the original data file.
AT&T Frame Relay allows many-to-many end-point connectivity between LANs and WANs and its bandwidth runs from 56 Kbps to 45 Mbps/DS3 for port speeds and from 4 Kbps to 40 Mbps for PVC speeds.
ATM gives customers the following features:
- Service Level Agreements - AT&T provides SLAs that cover delay, throughput, availability, time-to-repair (in the U.S.), and service installation time. AT&T's ATM network availability SLA objective is 99.99%. With AT&T's SLAs, customers know they can trust that critical data is quickly and reliably transmitted.
- Network Management Tools - AT&T's network management web portal, BusinessDirect®, allows customers to manage their data network services. BusinessDirect® lets customers order services and view bills online, issue trouble tickets, and self-provision ports and Permanent Virtual Circuits (PVCs) in near real time. As a result, customers can more efficiently manage their network.
- Route Diversity - AT&T offers diversity options to give customers alternative routing in case of failure. The options include port card and switch diversity, switch diversity in different service nodes, and network diversity. With a large, integrated base of switches in the U.S., AT&T can offer robust diversity options and restore networks in milliseconds.
- Sustained Bursting Capabilities - AT&T's ReliaBURST® feature proactively manages network congestion and gives a customers network sustained bursting capabilities beyond the Committed Information Rate (CIR). ReliaBURST® fairly allocates network capacity among all users. As a result, customers avoid network congestion and potential data drop.
The following options are available with ATM:
- Quality of Service (QoS) Level - Lets customers choose from three QoS levels to define how fast their traffic travels and with what priority.
- Constant Bit Rate (CBR) - Transmits cells in a continuous flow between endpoints. Variable Bit Rate-Non-Real Time (VBR-NRT) transmits cells in an unsteady flow at an assigned Sustained Cell Rate (SCR). Variable Bit Rate-Real Time (VBR-RT) transmits cells in an unsteady flow at a Sustained Cell Rate (SCR), but the connection can momentarily exceed the SCR by bursting up to the Peak Cell Rate (PCR).
- ATM Plus Service - Provides fault resolution and proactive monitoring, extends SLAs to customers' premises, and lets them test and generate performance reports to pinpoint critical issues and their causes.
- Frame Relay to ATM Service Interworking - Allows Frame Relay endpoints to communicate seamlessly with customers' ATM endpoints. If a customer has both Frame Relay and ATM services, the customer can use its existing Frame Relay and ATM CPE; all mappings and protocol conversions occur inside the network. However, if upgrading a location from Frame Relay to ATM, the customer must change its CPE.
- IP-Enabled ATM - Allows the ATM network to carry IP traffic concurrently with non-IP traffic. The enterprise PVCs provide this capability. This option is available everywhere AT&T provides service.
- Disaster Recovery Option (DRO)/Backup PVC - Gives customers a backup PVC for disaster recovery.
- Switch Diversity Option (SDO) - Protects customers' networks from failure by distributing their network connections across separate cards, switches, or points of presence (POPs).
- Customer Network Management Service (CNMS) - Provides customers with the tools to determine network status and performance. Information regarding traffic patterns, operational status and trouble spots can be obtained by using a standard web browser application. This window into the network can help facilitate the efficient allocation and management of network resources.
Frame Relay
AT&T offers fully managed or unmanaged Frame Relay Service to meet nearly any networking requirement. Customers can choose from various network access options with local, national or international coverage. The AT&T High Speed Packet Services (HSPS) Network Operations Center (NOC) monitors service and supports operations 24x7 to help ensure optimum network availability and performance. The HSPS NOC performs various maintenance services such as fault detection, isolation and repair. AT&T backs its Frame Relay Service with service level agreements (SLAs) that compensate customers should the service fail to meet performance standards. AT&T also provides customers with 24x7 online tools to manage their service. Customers can place orders, perform maintenance activities and review billing information using the AT&T BusinessDirect® web portal.
Frame Relay Service gives customers the following features:
- Fewer points of failure - Frame Relay Service provides diverse routing options and reduces the number of ports and equipment customers need. With less equipment, customers have less vulnerability on the end-to-end network, yielding greater availability and reliability.
- Flexible connectivity - Frame Relay Service allows many logical connections (permanent virtual connections, or PVCs) to share a single network interface. Customers have one physical interface for many links to your network.
- Quick configuration and reconfiguration - Customers can quickly and efficiently modify connectivity within the frame relay network to support changing business requirements. Adding or changing PVCs is faster and simpler than building private lines and adding more equipment.
- Streamlined network interface - Frame Relay is a simple technology, which makes its equipment less costly. Frame Relay usually requires fewer physical interfaces and circuits than a similar network using leased lines. Customers have less equipment, such as routers and DSUs/CSUs, to purchase and maintain.
- Multiple speed ranges - Frame Relay Service offers customers a choice of transmission speeds. Port speeds range from 56 Kbps to 45 Mbps. Customers choose the transport speeds that best support their network applications.
The following options are available with Frame Relay Service:
- Frame Relay Plus - Permits customers proactively to monitor their service, provides fault resolution and includes near real-time and historical performance reports that pinpoint critical issues and their causes.
- Integrated Network Connection Service - Allows packetized voice and data to share an access facility, significantly reducing network costs. Integrated Network Connection Service improves network efficiency and economy by allocating one application's unused bandwidth to other applications that need it.
- Frame Relay to ATM Interworking - Enables Frame Relay endpoints to communicate seamlessly with ATM endpoints, without customers needing to add or modify equipment. This option lets customers use both Frame Relay and ATM technology within a single network.
- Disaster Recovery Option (DRO)/Backup PVC - Gives customers a backup PVC for disaster recovery.
- Switch Diversity Option (SDO) - Protects customers' networks from failure by distributing network connections across separate cards, switches, or points of presence (POPs).
- ISDN Dial Backup - Provides dial backup access to your Frame Relay Service via ISDN. This option supplies a reliable, cost-effective backup for non-U.S. locations that use dedicated lines as primary access.
- Bundled Frame Relay Access - Bills the DS1 access channel and the frame relay port as a single billing component, called an access port.
- End-to-End Frame Relay Service - Supplies fully managed, end-to-end service with connectivity on a single AT&T global network. End-to-End Frame Relay Service provides protocol processing, network management, permanent virtual circuits, and various access speeds for data communications across a single, consistent backbone network.
- IP-Enabled Frame Relay Service - Lets customers incorporate Internet protocol and Virtual Private Network (VPN) Service in their networks on their existing Frame Relay Service.
- DSL Access to Frame Relay - Lets customers take advantage of the inherent private network security and performance of AT&T's Frame Relay Service for their broadband VPN needs without adding tunneling or encryption complexities to their networks. DSL Access provides a new price/performance option, allowing customers to deploy new bandwidth-intensive applications or existing applications to smaller locations in an affordable way.
AT&T Frame Relay and ATM Services are dynamic offers providing customers with some compelling benefits and addressing multiple needs. With the purchase of AT&T High Speed Packet Services, customers can easily upgrade the service as their needs change. With AT&T Frame Relay service, when a customer's bandwidth requirements grow they can migrate to AT&T ATM Service with ease because of the ATM core backbone platform. As customers look to Internet Protocol (IP) for their Virtual Private Networking (VPN) needs, AT&T's IP Enabled Frame Relay/ATM Service option offers customers continuous IP access while maintaining their current Frame Relay/ATM networks. Customers can count on AT&T High Speed Packet Services to bring them the following:
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Network Reliability- Including fully redundant network
components, self-healing SONET infrastructure, AT&T's patented
FASTAR
®
restoration system and Service Level Agreements that cover delay, throughput,
availability, time-to-repair and service installation time.
-
Low Delay and Predictable Response Time - Offering
AT&T's Award-winning ATM Core Backbone.
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Network Performance
Assurance - Including
closed loop congestion management to ensure that customers receive their CIR
every time.
-
Round-the-Clock Customer Care - Providing complete
proactive service monitoring and operations support 24-hours-a-day,
seven-days-a-week to help ensure optimum network availability and
performance.
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Unparalleled Network Design Support - Including specially
trained nationwide AT&T network design consultants who design customer
networks for optimal performance and reliability.
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Options-Rich Service - Offering an extensive array of
cutting-edge technology options, such as Frame Relay to ATM service
Interworking, IP-Enabled Frame Relay and Electronic Billing, Ordering and
Maintenance so that customers can customize their data networking to their
business needs.
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Lower Hardware and Networking Costs - Reducing the number
of required interfaces to link multiple locations.
- Cost Efficiency - Reducing the number of interfaces needed to link multiple locations, lowering customer's hardware and networking costs. Pricing is distance-insensitive, unlike leased lines, so customers can cost-effectively connect networks across the country.
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