Comcast Business Invests In Knoxville To Bring 10 Gigabit Ethernet Service To Local Businesses

Enhanced network designed to support and attract Knoxville businesses; City is among the first in Tennessee to receive ultra-fast speeds

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – September 4, 2014 — Comcast Business today announced it is investing in Knoxville to expand its 10 gigabit fiber-based Ethernet network throughout the city, giving thousands of local businesses the benefit of highly scalable and fast Internet connectivity and cloud-based voice solutions. As one of the 10 fastest growing cities in the U.S. according to CNNMoney, Knoxville is poised for continued growth as the state sees an uptick in job growth and business climate, according to the Center for Business and Economic Research.

“We have come a long way with our redevelopment effort in Knoxville and Knox County, and partnering with companies like Comcast has been a key factor in the city’s growth,” said Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett. “Comcast’s multi-million dollar investment in Knoxville’s technology infrastructure will help revitalize the community, attract new businesses and encourage existing ones to grow, making Knoxville a formidable player in recruiting businesses from the technology industry.”

Businesses today rely heavily on high-speed communications and Internet access, allowing them to leverage cloud-based applications, mobile solutions and video conferencing to increase productivity and improve efficiency. Sectors such as manufacturing, distribution, warehousing and professional services that comprise Knoxville’s economic base can significantly benefit from Comcast’s high-performance network. Comcast’s focus on expanding its network throughout commercial areas in Knoxville will help strengthen the city’s business growth and the local economy.

“Knoxville’s economic development has been quite robust over the past few years,” said Mike Edwards, president and CEO of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce. “By improving our technology infrastructure, we are equipping ourselves for future growth. Comcast’s commitment to our city ensures that the local business community has access to a high-speed network that meets both current and future needs.”

Comcast Business serves schools, businesses, hospitals, and other organizations that require large amounts of bandwidth, are looking to link multiple locations, or that plan to connect their offices to a third-party data center. Services offered include:

• Ethernet Private Line: point-to-point connectivity between two customer sites for bandwidth-intensive applications.
• Ethernet Virtual Private Line: point-to-multipoint connection to enable customers to tailor bandwidth, performance characteristics, and cost.
• Ethernet Network Service: multipoint-to-multipoint connectivity to connect organizations with high-bandwidth requirements and multiple locations across Comcast’s network.
• Ethernet Dedicated Internet: continuous, high-bandwidth connectivity between customers’ LANs and the public Internet.

“Knoxville continues to establish itself as a leading technology hub, attracting some of the world’s premier organizations,” said Bob Deckard, vice president for Comcast Business. “Despite this positive trend, however, many local businesses still lack ‘last mile’ access to high-speed services, a real challenge in today’s global marketplace. Our investment will help businesses grow their operations, reinforcing Knoxville as a destination of choice for organizations of all sizes.”

Nationally, Comcast Business’s Ethernet services are delivered over an advanced network that spans 140,000 miles across 39 states and the District of Columbia. Serving 20 of the top 25 U.S. markets, Comcast’s network features a 100 Gbps backbone and expanded local footprint through Ethernet over HFC. Bandwidth is available up to 10 Gbps and can be scaled in increments and offered in three different classes of service, backed by strict service level agreements and monitored 24x7x365 from Comcast’s dedicated Network Operations Centers. Comcast was the first service provider in the world to offer Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) CE 2.0 certified Ethernet services and was also the first service provider to achieve all three of the previous CE 1.0 certifications (MEF 9, 14 and 18).

Comcast has received three MEF Carrier Ethernet Awards, including the prestigious Service Provider of the Year for North America. In addition, Comcast Business was recently named the fastest-growing company ranked on Vertical Systems Group’s year-end 2013 U.S. Carrier Ethernet LEADERBOARD.