COLT-grade Ethernet now offered in New York, Chicago, Boston and Newark

16 February 2009 – COLT, a leading European provider of business communications, today announced it has extended its Ethernet services to the USA in response to soaring customer demand.  For the first time COLT customers can now benefit from COLT’s experience in Ethernet services beyond Europe, enjoying the same feature-rich services and stringent service level agreements (SLAs).

As an Ethernet pioneer, COLT already has over 12 years of experience and a proven track record of delivering leading edge customer solutions across Europe.  COLT has achieved the highest Ethernet certification, with its portfolio receiving MEF certification in September 2006.  COLT’s multi-award winning Ethernet services have won the company several industry plaudits including the Frost & Sullivan Customer Leadership Award and, for four consecutive years, the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) Service Provider of the Year award for outstanding innovation.  Forrester Research also cited COLT as a leader in its April 2008 report “The Forrester Wave™: European WAN Services, Q2 2008”

Rakesh Bhasin, Chief Executive Officer at COLT said, “We are delighted that we are now able to offer our customers all the benefits of COLT-grade Ethernet in the USA.  Having listened to our customers, we know that there is a market for the Ethernet solutions and services we offer beyond Europe and we are delighted to have made a start with our geographic expansion to New York, Boston, Newark and Chicago.  We look forward to continuing to grow with our customers and working with them to help meet their full potential.”

Adolfo Hernandez, President of the Alcatel-Lucent Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Region, said, “Alcatel-Lucent has worked closely with COLT to help extend its full Ethernet portfolio from Europe into four cities in the USA. We are pleased to have been part of a project that will expand the global appeal of Carrier Ethernet by enabling European customers to network offices in four more of the world's largest financial centres with the same high levels of service and performance.”