reseller channel: News Briefs October 2005

Wholesale VoIP operator CommPartners Inc. says it has expanded its network coverage area to include more than 92 percent of the calling public in the United States, including Hawaii. The company says it now works with more than 50 U.S. service providers. It is using Level 3 Communications Inc. as its underlying carrier for this latest network expansion. CommPartners also says it expects to get CLEC status in all 50 states by next year, a classification that would make it one of the largest VoIP networks in the United States.

Wholesale VoIP provider New Global Telecom Inc. says it has contracted Excell Services to provide directory assistance and operator services for its 6DegreesIP suite. Arizona-based Excell Services is an independent provider for wholesalers. Its services also include inbound customer care.

CloseCall America, a subsidiary of MobilePro Corp., has reached a commercial agreement with BellSouth Corp. The contract runs through Dec. 31, 2007, and covers all nine BellSouth states. CloseCall America plans to immediately upsell local service and DSL to customers in Florida.

XO Communications Inc. and NEXL Network Systems are working together to offer businesses managed hosting solutions. The multiyear agreement calls for XO and NEXL to comarket and sell each others services through XOs direct and indirect sales channels, and NEXLs direct sales force. NEXL will become the provider of managed services to XOs managed hosting customers, and XO will be the preferred provider of data center and network services to NEXL customers.

CornerStone Telephone Company, a local service reseller based in Troy, N.Y., is continuing to expand by opening a new office and hiring eight new employees. CornerStone has opened a new office in Carlisle, Penn. The provider has hired three new salespeople, a new account relations manager, a customer service representative, a sales engineer, a collections specialist and a data analyst/applications developer.

Another MVNO is entering the market, relying on the network of a Tier 1 operator to launch its pay-as-you-go wireless service that will target immigrants from Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Oblio Telecom Inc. is calling its MVNO BRAVO Wireless. Oblio is a unit of Ventures-National Inc., which does business as Titan General Holdings Inc. BRAVO includes domestic and international prepaid wireless services. It comes with a wireless handset and $10 initial account value. BRAVO is selling its wireless services for 99 cents per day; this includes unlimited domestic nights and weekends, but does not include international calls.

Ampd Mobile, an MVNO targeting 18-to-35- year-olds, is working with the William Morris Agency, a marketing consulting company, to secure content deals with studios, networks, music labels, artists, sports leagues, Internet portals and advertisers. Ampd Mobile is set to launch sometime this winter. The William Morris Agency already has obtained licensing content for the Ampd Live platform, which Ampd bills as a new 3G mobile entertainment experience. Ampd Live subscribers will have access to content from Universal Music Group, Snoop Dogg, THQ, Moderati, PRIMEDIA and more.