Phil Hamlin is senior vice president and chief technical officer of Level 3 Communications, Inc. Level 3 is constructing a new nationwide network built from the ground up to handle all voice and data services via packet switching.
Q. Sprint's network will run IP and other protocols over ATM, while yours is native IP all the way. How do you compare the two approaches?
A. This is not a revolutionary change in their network. This addresses the problem of "How do we comply these new services with the network that we already have?" That's what their engineers came out with. The fact is, customers want IP and that's what all the developers in the industry are writing to.
Q. But Sprint says voice over ATM is more robust than voice over IP. Do you disagree?
A. Voice over ATM is further developed than voice over IP right now. But that won't be true in six months. There's no inherent technical superiority in either approach.
Q. Sprint says it can reach the customer premises by leasing digital subscriber lines (DSL) from the local carriers instead of building its own network. Is that realistic?
A. I'm sure that the myriad of other people in the business who are beating their heads against the wall trying to get xDSL lines from Bells would love to hear that.
If they've got a secret on how to do it, we're waiting with bated breath to hear what it is.
Q. Sprint officials kept comparing themselves to new carriers, such as Level 3, saying they were in a better position to provide convergence services. Were you surprised?
A. They certainly lobbed a couple of bombs at us.
I guess I was flattered. I didn't think that they paid that much attention to us.
RELATED LINKS
Apply for your free subscription to Network World. Click here. Or get Network World delivered in PDF each week.
Request a reprint or permission to use this article.
