Cox Business Jumps on the CENX Bandwagon

Cox Business is competitive in the Metro Ethernet space, and Cox Communications participated in the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) committee that worked to provide a framework for Ethernet exchanges. Now, Cox Business has joined a growing list of providers that are establishing links with CENX, which claims to be the operator of the world’s first Carrier Ethernet exchange. Cox Business established an initial connection to CENX’s Carrier Ethernet Exchange in Los Angeles this month. (For more on Metro E and CENX, click here).

Cox Business provides voice, data and video services for nearly 250,000 small and regional businesses, including vertical segments such as healthcare, higher education, financial and government.

The new relationship with CENX creates additional options for wholesale and retail customers to connect locations throughout Cox’s extensive network footprint. Cox’s participation in the Ethernet Exchange further expands the more than 10 million Ethernet service locations reached via CENX.

Because Cox already has established dedicated fiber links to CENX, customers can seamlessly link to the Cox network without the cost and delay of establishing a dedicated interconnect. The CENX exchange also provides enhanced service level monitoring and increases performance visibility.

"Ethernet is the transport technology of choice for business and carrier organizations today," said Jay Clark, director of carrier product and sales operations at Cox Business in a written statement. "Cox’s membership in CENX’s Carrier Ethernet Exchange reduces the costs and complexity associated with dedicated interconnects and extends the reach of our vast metro networks to more customers."

In addition to its business-customer offerings, wireless backhaul is one of the fastest-growing wholesale Ethernet segments for Cox Business as providers seek to support the expanding volume of mobile data traffic efficiently.