Cogeco Data Services is adding to its list of offerings to medium and large enterprises with three packages it says will help take a load off their networks.

They include a managed IP VPN service, a managed Ethernet service and a SIP-based voice service.

A division of Montreal-based Cogeco Inc., which operates cable and fibre optic networks in Ontario and Quebec, CDS is targeting its customers in the financial, government, media and education verticals, said Virginia Brailey, vice-president of marketing.

“The managed IP VPN service is a Layer 3 service which allows organizations to prioritize their traffic because it has class of server capabilities,” she said. There’s also a remote access capability. By prioritizing data, organizations can better manage data traffic going between branches or suppliers, she said.

The managed Ethernet service is a Layer 2 MPLS-based connection allows organizations to control the application routing on their network, Brailey said. “So whether you have a hub-and-spoke design or location-to-location you can better control the data flow that goes over your networks.

 “We’re not saying to the customer you need to have managed IP VPN service or a managed Ethernet service,” she added. “We’re saying it’s all based on what you have, what applications you’re running.”

“The reason why we’re offering both (managed services) is to be able to say to customers we’re not going to force you to go Layer 3 with a higher-priced network or Layer 2. We’re providing the flexibility to go either way.”

The voice services can link to any interface customers need – IP PBX, TDM or a business trunk line. “It allows organizations to run over one network their voice, data and video over one network.

 “The underlying technology is SIP trunking, so no matter what organizations use we can provide service. In terms of future-ready – say if they have a TDM PBX and they want to move to an IP-based phone system — they can easily scale. They wouldn’t have to rip and replace.

As a managed service, CDS monitors network performance and notifies customers of any problems, Brailey said.

Comprehensive reports are included in the pricing for all three managed services, which Brailey said is “simple” and “flexible” based on the amount of bandwidth needed and other factors. However, she wouldn’t reveal details.

CDS also offers wavelength, transparent LAN and data centre hosting services for enterprises.