ASHBURN, Va. -- MCI (NASDAQ:MCIP) today introduced a new way for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other large bandwidth users to interconnect networks at any of MCI’s MAE switching facilities nationwide. With MCI’s new MAE Extended Services, businesses can now build virtual private connections to exchange traffic over MCI’s global IP network without the regional or physical limitations traditionally associated with peering. This results in better network utilization and expanded geographic reach for its customers.

“With our new MAE portfolio, we are enabling our customers to increase the reach and efficiency of their networks without worrying about where their networking equipment is located,” said Nancy Gofus, MCI senior vice president, Product Management. “Joining MCI’s extensive portfolio of wide area networking solutions, this new set of advanced services empowers customers to build their networks in a new and more efficient way to meet their high bandwidth requirements.”

Unlike the traditional model of peering which is only with companies physically located at the same location or within the same region, organizations can now virtually “connect” across MCI’s three major U.S. regions, including MAE East (Washington, D.C. metro, New York City), MAE Central (Dallas, Chicago), and MAE West (San Jose and Los Angeles, Calif). Expanding a customer’s network reach through MCI’s MAE services can be compared to being a retail tenant in a shopping mall—the bigger the mall, the greater access shoppers have to merchandise and selection. With an extended peering network, customers can easily choose and select with whom they want to interconnect, enabling them to adjust in real-time with changing business requirements.

MCI Inc.