Fusion Ties Up with NPO "IXO" to Provide IP Phone Services to Local ISP
Users
Fusion IP-Phone Made Available to Users of NTT's FLET'S ADSL and B-FLET'S Services
Fusion Communications Corporation has created a partnership with IXO, a non-profit
organization also known as the "Chiiki-kan Kosoku Network Kiko" (Inter-regional High-Speed Network
Organization). IXO's membership consists of major local ISPs (Internet Service Providers) throughout
Japan, and Fusion will provide these local ISPs with support for introducing the IP phone service.
The IP phone service will be launched on March 1, 2003 as "FUSION IP-Phone for
IXO" (or the name of the local ISP), and will be provided as an optional service for subscribers to
member ISPs through FLET'S ADSL and B-FLET'S (fiber optic) lines provided by NTT's regional companies.
This will be the first time that NTT's FLET'S infrastructure will provide the access lines for FUSION
IP-Phone, making coverage possible to a broad area nationwide.
The service allows subscribers to different local ISPs nationwide to initiate
and receive calls to and from each other and from subscribers of other providers that use FUSION IP-Phone
at no charge.
At present, IXO has 22 member firms (as of January 15, 2003), with a total subscriber
base of about 500,000, but membership is set to expand in 2003 to 47 ISPs (one in each prefecture)
for a local ISP network that covers one million subscribers. The number of users being targeted for
FUSION IP-Phone for IXO is approximately 150,000.
Local ISPs offer unique services rooted in their local area and contribute to
the advancement of IT in each region, but year by year it is growing more difficult for them to compete
against the major national ISPs. There is also growing demand for the use of IP phone services among
broadband line subscribers, and as the major ISPs gear up to provide the service, local ISPs will also
need to provide IP phone services to their users as an added-value service.
Under such circumstances, IXO's partnership with Fusion will allow the organization
to serve as a liaison for the introduction of IP phone services by local ISPs that are members of the
NPO. The ability for participating ISPs to offer FUSION IP-Phone for IXO will help to ensure the healthy
development of local ISPs nationwide. This plan will deepen ties among local ISPs and promote their
introduction of IP phone services, thereby improving services for users and contributing to the advancement
of IT at the regional level.
Fusion aims to establish growing ties with more network partners to offer FUSION
IP-Phone as a high-quality service with even greater convenience.
Main features of the FUSION IP-Phone for IXO Service are:
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