Primus Business Services Enhances Fibre-Optic Offering in Ottawa with Certified Carrier Ethernet Professionals

Fibre Ethernet Services provide Businesses with Advanced Data Access Connectivity

TORONTO, April 24, 2013 /CNW/ - Primus Business Services, a division of Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc. (Primus), a wholly owned subsidiary of PTGi (Primus Telecommunications Group, Incorporated) (NYSE: PTGI), is now offering ultra-fast fibre optic services to businesses in Ottawa's downtown core. Primus' next-generation Metro Fibre Ring has been designed to meet Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) industry standards and deliver high-capacity bandwidth over 1000 times faster than the typical broadband connection. As of April 2013, Primus is the first Canadian service provider to back its commitment to Carrier Ethernet with a significant number of Primus product, network and IT professionals that have achieved MEF Carrier Ethernet Certification.

Primus' fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) network delivers reliable and secure high-speed fibre access to downtown Ottawa - exceeding 10 Gigabits per second (Gbit/s), backed by a 99.999 per cent network SLA. Businesses leveraging Primus' Metro Fibre Ring for Internet, voice, video and data, benefit from the network's ultra-low latency and multi-level redundancy.

"We are building an advanced data access service for businesses that require higher network reliability, ultra-fast speeds and multipoint connectivity," said Nilpa Srivastava, VP of Primus Business Services. "As members of the MEF, Primus is committed to investing and developing Ethernet products, services and expertise that support our customers' evolving data access needs."

"Shortly after joining the MEF, Primus made a commitment to back their Carrier Ethernet products and services with Carrier Ethernet subject matter expertise company-wide—from network engineering, to product management, marketing and technical sales," said Craig Easley, Dean of Academic Affairs at the Carrier Ethernet Academy.  "Being the first in the Canadian market with eleven MEF-Carrier Ethernet Certified Professionals (CECPs), Primus has affirmed this commitment and positioned the company as a preferable provider of high-quality Ethernet services."

The MEF is a global industry alliance comprising of more than 200+ organizations including telecommunications service providers, cable MSOs, network equipment/software manufacturers, semiconductor vendors, testing and training organizations. The MEF's mission is to accelerate the worldwide adoption of Carrier-class Ethernet networks and services.

"Primus Business Services has joined a growing number of industry experts from over 180 companies worldwide who share the same vision of accelerating the adoption of Carrier Ethernet services and networks around the globe, and we look forward to many years of cooperation," said Kevin Vachon, Chief Operating Officer, Metro Ethernet Forum.

About Primus Business Services
Primus Business Services is a leading national full service Voice and Data Solutions provider, keeping our clients' mission critical applications and communication infrastructure connected for enhanced business productivity. Primus offers a complete line of infrastructure as a service (IaaS) solutions - IP-Voice Solutions, Hosted Phone Systems (Hosted PBX), Access and IP connectivity solutions - to over 45,000 Canadian companies. Primus Business Services is a division of Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc., a subsidiary of PTGi. Visit primus.ca/business for more information.

About PTGi
PTGi (Primus Telecommunications Group, Incorporated) is a leading provider of advanced communication solutions, including traditional and IP voice, data, mobile services, broadband Internet, metro fiber and Carrier Ethernet to business and residential customers in Canada and the United States. PTGi is also one of the leading international wholesale service providers to fixed and mobile network operators worldwide. PTGi owns and operates its own global network of next-generation IP soft switches, media gateways, hosted IP/SIP platforms, broadband infrastructure, and fiber capacity in Canada. Founded in 1994, PTGi is headquartered in McLean, Virginia.

About The Carrier Ethernet Academy
The Carrier Ethernet Academy was founded in 2007 with the focus of providing vendor-neutral training on Carrier Ethernet and the work of the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF). It is the leading MEF Accredited Training Provider and has trained a significant number of the MEF-CECPs around the world. Carrier Ethernet Academy faculty consists of seasoned MEF subject matter experts who have been actively involved in the technical work of the MEF with years of real-world experience deploying Carrier Ethernet. These contributions were recognized and honored by the MEF with its 2012 Outstanding Contributor Award.

Alumni of the Academy include professionals from both equipment vendor and service provider companies such as AT&T, Verizon, Time Warner Cable, Time Warner Telecom, Global Crossing, Level One, Fairpoint Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications, Sprint, Fujitsu Network Communications, Overture Networks, Accedian Networks, Primus, SFR, and Vodacom.  For more information please visit the Carrier Ethernet Academy online at www.cea2.com.

SOURCE: Primus Business Services

Primus Canada Media Contact: 
Jennifer Stein, APEX Public Relations, [email protected], [phone]