Press Releases
TEN Unveils Lowest-Latency Network Architecture Available on the Internet
Leading interactive entertainment network offers enhanced nationwide performance and introduces regional game play
SAN FRANCISCO Jan. 3, 1997 Total Entertainment Network (TEN) (http://www.ten.net) today announced the successful deployment of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) which further establishes the companys market and technology leadership role in the online multiplayer gaming arena. TEN's VPN works with Concentric Network Corporations existing network infrastructure to offer the lowest-latency network architecture available on the Internet for multiplayer gaming, at both national and regional levels. The latest stage of a long-term technology strategy intended to drive down latency times while improving network reliability, TEN's VPN results in average latency times of less than 140 milliseconds for regional play for all of TENs 20,000+ subscribers.
"Our nationwide gameplay allows us to reach critical mass where there are always enough players online to ensure that new matches are created frequently, thus decreasing the time members have to wait to play," said Dave King, chief technical officer at TEN. "The TEN VPN creates the fastest, most reliable national network. Add to that our new regional support with even better performance, and were now offering our customers the best of both worlds."
Coupled with TEN's recently implemented proprietary D.A.R.T. technology (see separate release dated 12/17/96), which minimizes the transmission of redundant information in fast-action games such as id Softwares QUAKE, the new VPN allows the company to expand its current selection of games to include sports games (such as the recently announced support for Sierra Onlines NASCAR Racing 2), and other high-performance game genres that require extremely low-latencies.
Currently, TEN's VPN provides state-wide regional support for California via SuperPOPs in Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco. The company plans to roll out additional SuperPOP regions over the next six months, effectively providing regional service in all major markets by summer, 1997. In addition TEN also boasts the best performance and reliability for true nationwide service, with average latency times consistently in the 200-millisecond range throughout the U.S. and Canada.
The unique architecture of TEN's new VPN takes advantage of Concentrics SuperPOPs, advanced "points of presence" which are centered in major metropolitan areas around the country. Further, Concentrics powerful Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) backbone, widely distributed data centers, regional application server sites, and adaptive call processing and partitioned network management, make it the ideal solution for handling the high traffic demands of TEN's network as it provides reliable low- and fixed-latency for Internet traffic.
"Weve been working closely with TEN for more than 18 months, combining their networking expertise with ours to build a network which will deliver the low fixed latencies required by their customers," said John Peters, president of Concentric Network Corporations Network Services Division. "Our low-latency ATM backbone, high-performance SuperPOPs, and tailored network solutions, complimented by TEN's stringent diagnostic capabilities and unique server deployment strategy, all come together in TEN's Virtual Private Network to meet their demanding requirements."
To sign up for the TEN service, visit the companys web site (http://www.ten.net) and download the software or request a free TEN CD-ROM (Windows 95). Technical support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1-800-804-0TEN. Customer support is available daily 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (PST). TEN recommends a Pentium 90 with Windows 95, 16 MB RAM, 28.8k bps modem and 2X speed CD ROM. The minimum requirements for using the TEN network are 486/66DX2 PC, Windows 95, 8 MB RAM and a 14.4 bps modem.
Total Entertainment Network is the premier entertainment network for game playing consumers on the Internet. TEN has online rights to more than 25 games half of which are TEN exclusives by leading software publishers including 3D Realms Entertainment, Apogee, Blizzard, Eidos Interactive (formerly Domark), id Software, Maxis, MicroProse, Sierra Online, SirTech, SSI, and Westwood Studios. Based in San Francisco, TEN was formed in 1995 from the merger of Planet Optigon, Inc. and Outland, Inc. TEN received its initial funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, with subsequent investors including: Ameritech; Goldman Sachs; Robertson, Stephens & Co. and Vertex Management.
For More Info, Call
TEN Press Contact:
Garth Chouteau
Tel: (415) 778-3774
Fax: (415) 778-3520
Internet:
garth@tenetwork.com
Copyright 1997
T E Network, Inc.
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of T E Network, Inc.
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