Verizon Business today announced an expansion of its Ethernet footprint nationally and globally, as well as the first integration of the former MCI wide area network data service with Verizon's metro Ethernet.

The announcement comes just nine days after Verizon Business, the post-merger data unit combining MCI with Verizon's business services, was announced. It represents work already underway within MCI and a significant effort to combine a private IP WAN service with Verizon's Ethernet access offering.

"This is a broadening of the Ethernet access footprint and a deepening of our footprint in 55 markets in the U.S. where we can tap into Verizon's local Ethernet network," said Michael Marcellin, director of IP and Ethernet networking for Verizon Business. "This service offers our customers lower total cost of ownership but with no givebacks--they get the service reliability. This is not a best-effort Ethernet service. We are delivering Ethernet access in a carrier-class way."

The integration process enables seamless connection of local Ethernet to Verizon Business' private IP backbone to enable services such as streaming media and distance learning. That service is available in Verizon's local service footprint in Boston, New York City, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Seattle and Tampa, Fla.

In addition, Verizon Business is announced Ethernet access services in new European locations, including: Brussels, Belgium; Lyon and Paris, France; Hilden and Frankfurt, Germany; Milan, Italy; Stockholm, Sweden; Zurich, Switzerland; and Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Verizon Business' Ethernet portfolio includes services conforming to the Metro Ethernet Forum's E-line private line and virtual private line serivce and E-LAN local area network service.

The integration of Ethernet access into private IP WAN service allows business customers to use familiar Ethernet technology as a seamless means to access MPLS-based wide area networks, Marcellin said.

"Where we can tap into Verizon's local Ethernet service in 55 markets in the U.S. we are deepening our footprint," he said. "We’ve built a converged private architecture that will leverage that to quickly bring Verizon's Ethernet network into play. Outside Verizon franchise territory we will use metro fiber rings or other leased facilities. Inside Verizon, we can bring the network closer to the customers so it translates into better economies for those customers."

The rapid integration of the two services brings together MCI's flagship IP-MPLS offering, based on the RFC2547bis standard with Verizon's local Ethernet, Marcellin said.

"We are pleased we were able to fold this in alraedy," he said. "It enables any connectivity within the network and more flexible scaling. It also insures critical applications achieve high levels of performance."

Verizon Business will continue to build out its Ethernet/IP capabilities to include nationwide VPLS by 2007, Marcellin said.