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A small Philadelphia CLEC sets out to build a converged IP network to deliver voice/data services over the same wire to the residential market.
Think of Inlec Communications as a different kind of CLEC. For starters, look at the prices for services advertised on its Web site: $20 a month for unlimited local calling, including popular services such as call waiting and call forwarding. For 5 cents a minute and no monthly fee, a customer can also get long-distance service. And for another $30 a month Inlec will provide an always-on, high-speed Internet connection. Inlec's strategy seems to be to get its business model accepted, prove that its VoIP network works for voice/data services, and then partner with ISPs to allow them to add voice services as a product offering.
While other carriers are largely focused on using packet technologies to reduce the cost of transporting voice traffic in the long-haul network, Philadelphia-based Inlec's mission is to deliver voice in the last mile via IP along with Internet access. And it wants to provide these services to residential customers in MTUs (multitenant units) without having to install costly premises equipment or rewiring the buildings. But a BLEC-many of which have found the going difficultis not what Inlec aspires to be. "Our competitors looked at each building as an item and wanted to build a facility in that building to deliver services to that particular community of residents. They looked to provide services as a reseller, while we're looking at this much more from a wholesale perspective," said Bruce Labovitz, vice president of sales and marketing.
Although Inlec has signed agreements with landlords representing about 75,000 apartment...