NextLink Launches Broadband Services Through Concentric

NextLink Communications Inc. (www.nextlink.com) is adding several broadband Internet services to its cache through contractual agreements with Concentric Network Corp. (www.concentric.com), the company it expects to officially merge with by the end of the second quarter.

"We thought the merger would occur, then we would start offering data," says Linda Mills, NextLink's vice president of product management and strategic pricing. But NextLink was able to set up contracts with Concentric to start offering branded data services on a resale basis to NextLink customers. And, if the merger fails for some reason, the contracts with Concentric are survivable and will allow NextLink to continue to resell those services.

With the Concentric contracts, NextLink will be able to offer integrated local, long distance, Internet and web hosting services. Part of today's announcement also included the addition of several value-added voice services.

"This is a two-prong approach," says Mills. "We're continuing to strengthen our voice services and introducing a platform of data services."

Among the new data services is NEXTLINK DSL, which includes always-on access at speeds up to 1.544 mbps. NextLink customers will also have the option to selected Integrated Access Service, which combines local voice, long distance and Internet services over a single T1.

NextLink is also offering a new set of data center offerings, including NEXTLINKhost dedicated and shared web hosting and e-commerce. EasySite, part of the NEXTLINKhost offering, is a tool that will allow customers to create their own web sites and e-business stores.

The data services will be available in most NextLink markets nationwide.

Value-added voice services new to NextLink include calling cards and conference calling capabilities. With the conference calling service, users can have a live conference call coordinator, web-based document conferencing, password protection and call replay.

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