WorldCom Rolls Out Converged Voice/Data Service

The service, called WorldCom Connection, combines voice, data and Internet access over WorldCom's IP backbone.

Businesses can receive DSL or T1 Internet access, voice-over-IP, domain name registration and hosting, hosted POP3 e-mail addresses, and unlimited local and long-distance calling, said partners.

For an additional monthly fee, customers can sign up for firewall services and lease of buy a Cisco IP Phone 7960. Partners also said the service comes with a Web-based tool that allows customers to change or add features such as call forwarding, for example, which is normally handled via a PBX.

Partners confirmed last month that WorldCom had begun training them to sell the service.