Beyond the Telephone

Sprint's Sophisticated Data Services

While most businesses are familiar with Sprint's fiber-optic network is through its voice services, many corporate communications managers also know Sprint as a leader in data services, including multimedia and video services. In addition to Sprint's Clearline private-line services and switched data services (ISDN, Switched 56, SMDS), Sprint offers a full range of packet data and video services to meet businesses' varied communication requirements.

SprintNet X.25

With nearly two decades of experience, SprintNet^® was the first global public data network to offer dedicated access at speeds up to 256 Kbps, enabling even high-throughput applications like file transfers to benefit from the reliability of X.25 packet switching. Today, SprintNet is one of the world's largest public data networks, transmitting business-critical information more than three million times a day for the world's leading corporations, government agencies and information providers. These users rely on SprintNet's dynamic alternate routing, built-in redundancy and back-up services to ensure network availability.

SprintLink TCP/IP

In 19____, Sprint became the first long-distance carrier to offer wide-area network service handling TCP/IP networking, Internet access and support for TCP/IP applications. Today, Sprint is the most richly connected Internet service provider, carrying more than half of the total Internet traffic passing into and out of the U.S. and offering the optimal path to any Internet location.

Frame Relay

Sprint's global frame relay service helps communications managers meet the challenges of designing and supporting cost-effective, high-speed, multiprotocol networks. Sprint's frame relay solutions let businesses consolidate their dedicated private-line data networks reliably, combining their mission-critical SNA-based applications with LAN and other data traffic.

ATM

Sprint's ATM service enables organizations to combine mutliple network protocols as well as time-critical data like video traffic into a single, integrated network, while providing significantly higher speeds than frame relay. Sprint became the first carrier to offer nationwide commercial ATM service in 19____. A range of network access methods and bandwidth options -- from fractional T1 and T1, to SONET OC-3 and ATM -- as well as interworking with frame relay and SprintLink services give businesses the greatest flexibility in bringing all their locations on-line in the most cost-effective manner.

Video and Multimedia

Sprint Video is a single source for a comprehensive array of videoconferencing products and services, including network options, video equipment and project management. Switched data customers can take advantage of Sprint's integrated videoconferencing solution and package of value-added services, including a video applications help desk, multipoint conferencing, format and speed conversions and connections to other carrier networks. Two dedicated private networks offer either on-demand videoconferencing or reservations-based services. Sprint also provides all the services necessary to plan, install and maintain desktop videoconferencing and collaborative applications.

Leveraging SprintLink, Sprint's wide-area network multimedia service, DRUMS, eliminates the barriers of time and distance for the entertainment and multimedia industries, allowing near-real-time desktop-to-desktop communication and access to on-line resources for the creation of films, commercials, television programs and other multimedia projects. Soon, work group collaboration supported by videoconferencing and electronic "white-boards" will be offered, as well as Internet access, on-line advertising and order processing and a number of other productivity-enhancing services.

Continuing the Network Evolution

Over the past five years, Sprint has invested heavily in the next phase of its network evolution -- the Distributed Intelligent Network Architecture (DINA). DINA will expand Sprint customers' communications capabilities, enabling them to use a flexible, building-block approach to customize their communications solutions.

Sprint VPN Premiere virtual private network service, the first Sprint service to take full advantage of the enhanced capabilities of DINA, can connect all of an organization's domestic and international locations and integrate all voice, data and video needs onto a single network. It also provides faster network design and billing management reports tailored to each organization's unique structure, domestically or worldwide.

DINA also provides the enhanced services organizations rely on for inbound and outbound calling centers. Sprint's Network Call Distributor, for example, lets an organization automatically balance traffic loads across all call centers to increase call completions and ensure that calls are answered faster. Sprint 800 Call Director helps telemarketing staffs respond quickly and effectively to call-volume fluctuations and unexpected emergencies, while Sprint's Interface to an External Routing Processor provides real-time control over how, when and where each 800 call is routed.

Over the coming months, DINA will enable a whole range of new Sprint offerings to make businesses more productive and competitive. Integrated messaging services will let customers access electronic mail, voice mail, fax and data with a single personal phone number from a PC, pay phone or telephone anywhere in the world in whatever format is preferred. Sprint's telecommuting services will offer wireless access to its Intelligent Network with a single wireless device and mobile number, connecting workers to information from just about anywhere in the world. What's more, these cellular services will be integrated with traditional local and long-distance products and services, providing seamless voice and data service with consolidated billing.

The integrated voice, data and video capabilities of Sprint's Intelligent Network will provide an array of multimedia solutions, including video-on-demand library services, distance learning, distance meetings and interactive voice response for marketing and sales support programs. And as higher bandwidths become available at the local level, Sprint's broadband Intelligent Network will be ready to provide the critical transport mechanism for the "infotainment" industry, including such diverse services as video-on-demand, video jukeboxes, home shopping, home health care and interactive games.

Taking the Next STEP

To help businesses through the increasingly complex maze of network options, Sprint has developed the Sprint Technology Evolution Program (STEP^SM). STEP allows organizations to simply and cost-effectively upgrade their data networks, providing a road map so they can feel confident that network transitions will occur smoothly and without financial burden.

With STEP, Sprint analyzes existing customer network design, traffic patterns and objectives, and then develops a high-level transition plan to migrate traffic from private line networks to one of its high-speed data services -- frame relay or ATM. STEP reduces traditional financial deterrents to migration by letting organizations maintain both the new and old services for a single charge during the short transition period, and by providing other financial incentives.

Sprint Business Services has consistently lead the industry in applying state-of-the-art communications technologies to real business problems. Sprint's superior network infrastructure, data leadership and expertise, coupled with STEP make it the clear leader for providing customers with the reliability, flexibility, and performance needed to deliver the next generation voice, video, data, imaging and other multimedia applications of the future.

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