Vendors rapidly are delivering systems that provide that multiservice support. Companies such as 3Com Corp., ADC Kentrox, Adtran, Premsys Communications Inc., Telco Systems Inc. and even big players such as Lucent Technologies Inc., through a partnership with Vina Technologies Inc., Nortel and Siemens Telecom Networks, are designing equipment that makes support of a wide range of services easier for CLECs. Smaller bundles, with 48 or 96 ports, are geared for use in smaller but growing suburban areas, while larger units are designed for more densely populated areas. CLECs want a higher level of integration, Nelson says. They also want a scalable system.
Scalability refers to the way a system expands to serve more customers.
Systems that can be expanded without making changes to the existing core technology and that don't have to be fully swapped out at some peak capacity are considered scalable. The ideal scenario for a CLEC is to start small, putting only as much capital into the network as is needed to support the existing customer base, then to spend more to upgrade systems as customers are added. There are multiple reasons why high reliability can be even more critical for CLECs than for the established incumbents, Adtran's Stanton says. The last thing a CLEC needs is to be dependent upon getting access to its equipment from a competitor in order to keep its customers happy, he says. Service Quality Layered on top of practical considerations such as reliability, space and standards compliance, however, is the overriding need for CLECs to be able to offer sophisticated services that differentiate them in a crowded marketplace.