Paris, France (at the MPLS Ethernet World Congress 2010) – February 11, 2010 – Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQIX, news, filings), a provider of global data center services, today announced that Easynet Global Services, euNetworks, PacketExchange and BroadbandONE have joined the final-phase development program for the company’s Equinix Carrier Ethernet Exchange. Originally revealed in October 2009, this global service will provide a multi-carrier environment for the exchange of data traffic between providers of Ethernet services. The development program for the service, which also includes original participants AboveNet, Exponential-e, Hibernia Atlantic, Level 3 Communications, PCCW Global, Reliance Globalcom and Tinet, is entering its final stages as Equinix preps for the global rollout of the service.
The Equinix Carrier Ethernet Exchange is scheduled for a phased rollout in Q2 2010, starting with the New York, Silicon Valley, Chicago and London metro regions, and will expand to 12 other metro regions throughout the year. This announcement strengthens Equinix’s position as a provider of Ethernet services, an expanding industry that is expected to reach $40 billion by 2014.
Ethernet services, which provide significant speed, quality, and cost advantages over traditional networks, have been limited to the geographic areas in which a carrier’s network is deployed. As a result, carriers have been unable to capitalize on the worldwide demand for universal Ethernet services and have been confined to their preexisting service areas due to the complex and time consuming challenges of establishing multiple, separate interconnection agreements with other carriers.
Equinix Carrier Ethernet Exchange will remove the technical boundaries associated with offering Ethernet services by providing a platform for multi-provider carrier Ethernet interconnection. Fully compliant with Metro Ethernet Forum standards, the Equinix platform will enable carriers to translate between different carrier Ethernet offerings to ensure transparent service by providing an interconnection technical specification. The service, which will utilize Alcatel-Lucent’s service routing portfolio, will also include an online marketplace to enable carriers to partner on Ethernet services to extend their global reach and depth.
Trial Update
“The technology trial testing has progressed to plan, and we are pleased with the results,” said Dr. Kamran Sistanizadeh, Chief Technology Officer, Reliance Globalcom. “The Equinix exchange platform is designed to reduce the carrier’s time to market, lower operational costs and accelerate revenue growth. Reliance Globalcom welcomes the opportunity to capitalize on these benefits as the development program approaches the final stages of its global rollout.”
“Building on successful trials with several of the world’s largest network service providers, we’re pleased to welcome EasyNet Global Services, euNetworks, Packet Exchange and WV Fiber to the development program for the Equinix Carrier Ethernet Exchange,” said Jarrett Appleby, chief marketing officer for Equinix. “Our development participants tell us that the service will catalyze a significant evolution in the carrier Ethernet industry by enabling them to develop the next generation of enhanced services that fulfill a critical need for their customers.”
“As a leading provider of last-mile connectivity in Western Europe, euNetworks continues to look for ways to better enable our customers to access our broad metropolitan footprint,” said Uwe Nickl, Chief Marketing Officer at euNetworks. “The Equinix Ethernet Exchange will allow us to easily interconnect our customers onto our footprint, reducing time to deliver end to end services. In addition, as we look to extend our reach beyond Western Europe, the Exchange will provide us with connectivity to a number of carrier partners that can support our customers’ needs.”
“The success of our business lies in being able to offer a high performance network delivery system that provides customers with a real business advantage,” said Andy Johnson SVP Business Development at PacketExchange. “While we have long advocated the merits of Ethernet services, to date it has been difficult to truly satisfy customers’ demands for higher quality global connectivity beyond our own footprint. By reducing the overall complexity of the process, Equinix’s Carrier Ethernet Exchange platform will provide us with an enhanced level of service that not only meets the strategic needs of our customers today, but also prepares them for the challenges of tomorrow.”
Equinix has more than 10 years of expertise in facilitating network interconnection through its pioneering Internet Core Exchange (ICE) service that facilitates data exchange between Tier 1 network service providers, and the Equinix Exchange service which facilitates IP and content peering between networks.
About Equinix
Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ: EQIX) provides global data center services that ensure the vitality of the information-driven world. Global enterprises, content and financial companies, and network service providers rely upon Equinix’s insight and expertise to protect and connect their most valued information assets. Equinix operates 49 International Business Exchange™ (IBX®) data centers across 18 markets in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Important information about Equinix is routinely posted on the investor relations page of its website located at www.equinix.com/investors. We encourage you to check Equinix’s website regularly for the most up-to-date information.
Press Contacts
Equinix Media Contact (Global)
Joan Powell
Equinix, Inc.
(650) 513-7098
E-mail
Equinx Media Contact (U.S.)
Nadja Blagojevic
LEWIS PR
(415) 992-4400
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Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from expectations discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, the challenges of acquiring, operating and constructing IBX centers and developing, deploying and delivering Equinix services; unanticipated costs or difficulties relating to the integration of companies we have acquired or will acquire into Equinix; a failure to receive significant revenue from customers in recently built out or acquired data centers; failure to complete any financing arrangements contemplated from time to time; competition from existing and new competitors; the ability to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds to repay new or outstanding indebtedness; the loss or decline in business from our key customers; and other risks described from time to time in Equinix’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see Equinix’s recent quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available upon request from Equinix. Equinix does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.
Equinix and IBX are registered trademarks of Equinix, Inc. International Business Exchange is a trademark of Equinix, Inc.
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