BellSouth Introduces MPLS Backbone

MPLS, or Multi Protocol Label Switching, technology promises enhanced IP transport performance and enables the transport of voice, data and video solutions over a common network platform, the company said.

BellSouth's Regional IP Backbone (BRIB), based on MPLS, has points of presence in all of the major geographic areas in BellSouth's territory.

The BRIB gives BellSouth greater control of end-to-end services and traffic redundancy and expands its information services product offerings with Quality of Service (QoS) and end-to-end SLAs, according to the company. BellSouth's current information services include a managed network VPN service and upcoming VoIP solutions.

BellSouth is already routing DSL traffic over the new backbone.

"With IP traffic becoming more prominent on BellSouth's network, we are meeting customer needs by appropriately evolving our infrastructure," said Bill Smith, BellSouth's chief product development and technology officer, in a statement.

Cisco Systems and Juniper Networks are providing network core and edge solutions in BellSouth's new IP backbone.

BellSouth is using Cisco's 10000 and 12000 Series IP/MPLS platform, which aggregates traffic and helps ensure QoS, security, accounting, routing policies and VPN policy. BellSouth also deployed Juniper's routing platform as its IP/MPLS foundation.