March 10, 1997 10:00 AM ET
UUNet and MCI eye global access
By Stephanie LaPolla

International corporations will soon have a few new options available when choosing Web hosting services from an ISP that maintains fast global access. This week, UUNet Technologies Inc. will announce global Web hosting facilities that put backbone bandwidth closer to the user. MCI Communications Corp. will announce a similar offering at this week's Internet World in Los Angeles, said sources. Also at the show, UUNet will announce availability of its IDSL technology--a hybrid of ISDN and DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)-that will provide small and medium-size businesses with direct connections to the Internet at a low cost, said sources close to the company. Global Web hosting will help multinational companies struggling with shipping content across narrow bandwidth lying underneath the oceans. "They need to mirror content on both sides of the pond," said Greg Wester, research director at The Yankee Group Inc., in Boston. "The ability to support a global hosting business will separate the men from the boys in terms of being able to compete." UUNet and MCI may be the first to grab hold of the opportunity, but others, including PSINet Inc., will soon follow, said analysts. However, UUNet's strong ISP (Internet service provider) relationships internationally may give the Fairfax, Va., company an advantage. Beyond its Fairfax and Palo Alto, Calif., facilities, UUNet will provide local hosting through peer Web service providers in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and Taiwan, said officials. UUNet will make a separate announcement for smaller, local businesses. IDSL--developed by its parent company, MFS WorldCom, and Ascend Communications Inc.--will soon be deployed in RBOCs (Regional Bell Operating Companies), starting this month in California. The IDSL box, to be sold through UUNet, will connect to multiple ISDN routers. Pricing is expected to fall between $500 and $2,500, which reflects the startup costs of an ISDN router and a fractional T-1 line, respectively. UUNet can be reached at (703) 206-5600 or www.uu.net. MCI, of Washington, is at (800) 825-9675 or www.mci.com. Copyright(c) 1997 Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company is prohibited. PC Week and the PC Week logo are trademarks of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. PC Week Online and the PC Week Online logo are trademarks of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. Send mail to PC Week