CopperCom Wins Deals

BOSTON -- CopperCom today announced Swayzee Telephone Company, located in Swayzee, Indiana, has replaced its legacy switching system with CopperCom's Converged Switching eXchange (CSX®) next-generation switch. The deployment enables Swayzee to offer customers next-generation IP services, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), as well as the legacy features the telco has offered for many years.

"When our legacy switch vendor let us know that they'd no longer be supporting our switch, we knew it was really an opportunity and a challenge for us," said Jeff Duncan, plant manager, Swayzee Telephone Company. "To provide the services our customers want and need at a more cost-effective price, we found that a softswitch would be the way to go. The CopperCom CSX had the features we needed and will allow us to provide the next-gen services our customers demand." Established in 1903, Swayzee Telephone Company serves some 1100 subscriber lines, and provides services including DSL, wireless Internet service, cable TV and DSS satellite systems.

"The CSX's capabilities and advanced features will enable Swayzee to effectively offer the services their customers want," said Mel Ethem, vice president of sales, CopperCom. "We're pleased to be the right partner for Swayzee as they continue to push the envelope in offering more and more services."

In a separate release:

BOSTON -- CopperCom today announced that Ontario and Trumansburg Telephone Companies have completed the first stage of their deployment of CopperCom next-generation softswitches, part of a strategic network overhaul.

Faced with stiff competition from the cable industry, the upstate New York-based independent operating companies (IOC) have installed the first of two CopperCom Converged Switching eXchange (CSX®) softswitches. The CSX network will connect two service areas and will allow them to roll out voice over Internet Protocol, broadband data, video, aggregated long-distance and other advanced services as well as continue to provide the legacy offerings that are still in demand throughout their service area.

The CopperCom CSX softswitches are being deployed in conjunction with Occam broadband DSL equipment at two locations 50 miles apart and connected by a recently installed fiber-optic network. This interconnection will enable the Ontario and Trumansburg Telephone Companies to expand their business by offering wholesale broadband services to customers outside their current service area.

The telephone companies, which serve 11,000 customers, chose the CopperCom CSX softswitch following a two-year competitive review of softswitches. Ontario and Trumansburg Telephone executives credit the CSX softswitch's ability to provide tandem legacy and next-generation services, as well as the service-orientation of the CopperCom organization, as being key to its decision.

"Among our criteria was that our softswitch vendor had to be a genuine partner and work closely with us through the review and implementation process. We heard horror stories about other vendors simply dropping off a switch and wishing you luck," said Paul Griswold, president and CEO, Ontario and Trumansburg Telephone Companies. "Everyone at CopperCom has worked with us every step of the way. Their team has been supportive, responsive and helpful. CopperCom understands our business objectives and is helping us to achieve those."

In an additional release:

BOSTON -- CopperCom today announced Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company (NNTC), a cooperative in Jackson, Nebraska, has chosen to cap its legacy switching system and grow with CopperCom's Converged Switching eXchange (CSX®) next-generation softswitch. In addition, NNTC has purchased CopperCom's Switchmaxx Unified Self-Care(TM) Web portal and Voicemaxx Web-enabled voicemail service.

CopperCom's CSX Switching System is field-proven and capable of delivering applications ranging from greenfield deployments and cap-and-replace of legacy systems to advanced service delivery over packet networks. The CSX offers advanced VoIP services, legacy voice services, and personalized control of features via the Switchmaxx Unified Self-Care Web portal and applications web-based interface. The CSX's flexibility, architectural scalability and robust feature set make it the softswitch solution of choice for IOCs and CLECs alike.

Having been in business for 51 years, NNTC supports some 7100 access lines, serving 26 communities in rural Nebraska. Deployment of the CSX will enable NNTC to offer next-generation IP services such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and IPTV in the future. Switchmaxx(TM) is the first fully integrated Communications Portal that allows Telco customers to shop, buy and manage all of their services 24 hours a day through an easy-to-use, branded web portal. With this turnkey solution, NNTC will be able to generate new revenue and reduce operating expenses while providing their customers exemplary service.

"The CopperCom CSX is a good solution for NNTC. After evaluating CopperCom and other softswitch companies, it really came down to the CSX features and pricing that helped NNTC make our switch selection," said Terry Eriksen, plant manager of Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company. "The CSX in combination with Switchmaxx and Voicemaxx is a powerful solution that our customers will greatly appreciate."

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