Broadwing Lights World's First Intelligent, All-Optical Switched Network

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 9 – Broadwing Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Broadwing Inc., unveiled an all-optical switched network – the first in the communications world – late last week. By switching light across the entire network backbone, without electrical regeneration, the 18,500 mile Broadwing network will operate at levels of capacity, speed, availability, and efficiency that dwarf the 'legacy' networks operated by other providers, the company said.

During remarks delivered to the delegates of the World Economic Forum in Washington, D.C., Broadwing president and CEO Rick Ellenberger described the capabilities of the all-optical network and their impact for businesses, governments and educational institutions.

"For too long, great ideas that have the power to change the way we live, work, learn and play, have been hampered from coming to market by constraints on bandwidth capacity and availability," said Ellenberger. "This first-of-its-kind network gives us the ability to offer bandwidth that is so flexible that it can best be described as 'liquid;' which for customers means bandwidth that can be poured anywhere, anytime, in any amount, and billed only for what is used."

Ellenberger offered several examples of the disruptive power of having bandwidth that is instantly available and billable on a per use basis, including the experience of a major cable network that used Broadwing's liquid bandwidth to immediately react to this year's historic presidential election and keep their viewers up-to-date, while keeping their costs in line.