UUNET

UUNET's objective is to be the leading supplier to businesses and professionals of complete communications solutions using Internet-related technologies. To reach that goal, UUNET is constantly expanding its high-performance network infrastructure, developing and enlarging its suite of value-added products and services, building and leveraging relationships with strategic partners, and expanding operations worldwide. Key Dates: UUNET develops the first commercial application--layer firewall services for IP (internet protocol) networks. UUNET is acquired by telecommunications service provider MFS Communications Company, Inc., which is bought by WorldCom, Inc. later in the year. Founded in 1987, UUNET is recognized not only as the first commercial Internet service provider (ISP), but it is also the world's leading Internet carrier. The company provides a comprehensive range of Internet services to more than 70,000 business customers worldwide, including Internet access, web hosting, remote access, virtual private networking (VPN), managed security, and multicast services, among others. It owns and operates one of the most widely deployed IP networks in the world, with more than 2,500 POPs (points of presence, or primary Internet connections) providing Internet connectivity in more than 100 countries. UUNET's parent company, WorldCom Inc., is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies. UUNet Technologies Inc. (UUNET) was founded in 1987, and in 1988 it sold the first commercial connection to the Internet. For the next several years UUNET would be a pioneering Internet service provider (ISP) and offer innovative services. In 1992 UUNET developed the first commercial application--layer firewall services for IP (internet protocol) networks. In 1993 UUNET began offering T-1 connections to the Internet. In 1994 UUNET designed and installed the first virtual private network (VPN) service, the Virtual Private Data Network (VPDN) product family. The company also began offering web hosting services by joining forces with electronic publisher Interse Corporation to provide companies with a turnkey solution for putting their businesses on the Internet. The service included a T-1 connection, offered at two different speeds, from UUNET, and Interse's World Wide Web server. Interse would also build the company's home page using HTML (hypertext markup language) and design an interactive, multi-tiered, and graphical presentation. In 1994 John Sidgmore became UUNET's CEO and president. He was formerly president and CEO of CSC Intelicom. In early 1995 Microsoft Corporation was busy preparing its Microsoft Network (MSN), which would be offered with the release of Windows 95. UUNET provided Microsoft with a dedicated TCP/IP network that would allow MSN users to have dial-up access to both MSN and the Internet. UUNET would provide MSN users with a variety of high-speed service options, including ISDN and 28.8K-bps (bits per second) modem access. Microsoft planned to offer full access to the Internet by the end of 1995. At the time UUNET had 25 points of presence and planned to have 100 connections in place within a few months. According to one analyst, UUNET was a good choice for Microsoft, because it had more expertise than telephone carriers about Internet protocol network management. Microsoft also took a minority interest in UUNET, with the funds to be used to expand UUNET's 25-city dial-up network, and also gained a seat on UUNET's board of directors. While UUNET had a smaller network than competitor Netcom On-Line Communications Services Inc., UUNET was focused on the corporate market, while Netcom was targeting the consumer market. The corporate market for Internet access was expected to grow more quickly, with the consumer market set to explode toward the end of the 1990s. The corporate market gave UUNET higher revenue streams, bigger margins, and a more reliable customer base. UUNET also offered premium services, such as n