Aztek Networks Helps New Customers Ensure Network Resiliency With Industry-Leading ESA Solutions

Telcos turn to Emergency Stand Alone systems to ensure reliability of their networks

LAS VEGAS, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- NXTComm, Booth #SU5223 -- Aztek Networks (http://www.azteknetworks.com/), the leader in Emergency Stand Alone (ESA) equipment for enabling network switch collapse, today announced three new customers to its growing roster: Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Oregon Telephone Corporation and La Jicarita. Each of the newest customers successfully implemented Aztek's 5000S, the company's flagship ESA product, to help ensure uninterrupted network service and improved community safety.

Emergency Stand Alone systems assure uninterrupted local calling capability and access to 9-1-1 emergency services. Aztek's ESA solutions are specifically designed to help ensure public safety by continuously maintaining local calling capabilities and subscriber access to emergency 9-1-1 services in the event the link to the primary host switch is severed due to an accident or natural disaster.

Nemont Ensures Continuous 9-1-1 and Local Calling Access With Aztek's ESA

Nemont Telephone Cooperative serves approximately 26,000 access lines in northeastern and south-central Montana and northwest North Dakota. Nemont, which is reported to be the 14th largest telecommunications cooperative in the United States, has one of the nation's most technologically advanced networks for offering telephone service and high speed Internet access over copper and, in some cases, Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) facilities.

"It is essential that we provide ESA capabilities for local calling in the remote areas of rural Montana that we serve," explained Mike Kilgore, Plant Operations Manager for Nemont Telephone Cooperative. "We turned to Aztek's ESA solution as we were upgrading our aging and deteriorating copper based plant to Fiber-To-The-Home technology ... which allowed us to collapse our switching network, increase network reliability and reduce our operating expenses, all while maintaining our ability to provide local calling service in the unlikely event that we were to lose network connectivity to the host office, which is nearly 40 miles away."

Nemont selected the open standards, GR-303-based Aztek Networks 5000S to provide the vital ESA voice switching functionality in the remote areas the cooperative serves. Any disruption in service to the central office, due to either construction or a natural disaster, will result in the Aztek 5000S automatically assuming call control functions for all subscribers in the designated serving area. Subscribers can be assured of local phone service and access to local emergency providers until the link is restored.

Oregon Telephone Corporation Turns to Aztek For Switch Collapse

Oregon Telephone Corporation implemented ESA to enable it to support the delivery of both traditional and next-generation services over simplified, flexible network architectures. In addition, Aztek's ESA capabilities gives Oregon Telephone Corporation peace of mind knowing that back-up switching is in place in the event of a network failure. By enabling this capability, callers are able to maintain localized calling functionality, including support for 9-1-1 services.

"We installed Aztek's ESA technology to continue offering customers the services they need while simultaneously ensuring network resiliency," said Steve Schweitzer, Plant Manager, at Oregon Telephone Corporation. "The ability to provide a remote switch and dial tone for local calling and 9-1-1 is critically vital. The addition of the Aztek 5000S provides ESA capabilities and allows our organization to remove dated equipment and transition customers to a newer network. As a result we have been able to offer the same high level of reliability while providing them with new services and reducing our operating costs."

Through the 5000S, operators can eliminate the need for remote switches in their network applications, allowing for central office consolidation. In addition, flexibility in network deployment options allows operators to ensure that communities of all sizes have access to emergency services in the event that connectivity is lost to the host switch.

La Jicarita Deploys ESA To Meet Customer Demand for Advanced Services

Prior to the implementation of Aztek's ESA solution, La Jicarita Rural Telephone Cooperative was faced with increasing demand from customers for advanced voice services. While La Jicarita was responsive to its customers' requests, the cooperative was concerned the telephone network could be exposed to breaks in the line, which could result in a lack of access to emergency services. Aztek's ESA technology ensures subscribers have access to 9-1-1 while maintaining the traditional high reliability of the voice network without a second host switch. By using Aztek's ESA capabilities, La Jicarita is able to keep operating costs low with only one host switch to manage. Customers benefit from having a back-up system in place in the event of network failure while enjoying upgraded service offerings.