Telefonica de Espana SA has launched a new Cinco service, described as a private virtual multimedia network based on ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode technology, designed to meet the global communications needs of corporate environments. The service integrates closed user-group voice communications, data and images, and will use shared networks, such as Telefonica’s Red Uno, or point-to-point networks. Telefonica’s Data Transmission Product Manager Antonio Oriol said that the philosophy behind the service was to combine the economy of the public networks with the total client control offered by private networks, with network management centers operating 24 hours a day in a supervisory role. We hope the Cinco service will help our clients to gradually evolve towards ATM without sweeping changes, Oriol declared. Existing services can be expanded to reach speeds of more than 2 Mbps. Telefonica claims that Cinco will cut down on costs, thanks to a flat rate and equipment hired rather than purchased, while it will offer efficient broadband use and a high degree of availability. The Spanish carrier sees a potential market of 3,000 clients for the multimedia service, insisting that it offers savings of up to 30% compared with other similar services.
