The Yipes WAN bandwidth-on-demand service lets customers connect sites at speeds ranging from 1 Mbps to 80 Mbps, in 1 Mbps increments. The service runs over Yipes' all-optical network, which lets the company provide high speeds at low prices. For example, Yipes says customers can get twice the speed they get from other carriers for about 80% of the price. Yipes declined to provide specific pricing, but said a customer connecting three locations within two states would pay about $6,400 per month.

Yipes' WAN service includes equipment, installation, service activation, network monitoring, and ongoing support. Customers connect to the Yipes network via a standard Ethernet interface. Customer service is handled through Yipes' online customer-service portal. The fast, optical equipment also lets Yipes guarantee nationwide round-trip delays of less than 80 milliseconds.

Yipes also will install and manage security products from NetScreen Technologies Inc. on customer premises to provide data encryption, authentication, and firewall features.

The service is integrated with Yipes' metropolitan area and Internet services. By combining the services, customers can connect to the Internet from each WAN site or through one designated site, bringing Yipes closer to being a nationwide provider, says David Yedwab, executive VP for Eastern Management Corp. consultancy. "Yipes will be able to address a wider customer base and can service companies with more locations now," he says.