Maine Telecommunications

Maine is home to businesses that rely on the state's sophisticated and reliable telecommunications infrastructure for their communication networks. L.L. Bean, MBNA New England and Auto Europe all maintain large and complex tech centers that serve an international customer base. L.L. Bean alone received 14-million toll-free catalog and customer service calls in 1996. Maine's statewide availability of high-quality fiber-optic technology means businesses are free to expand or set up shop anywhere in the state.

• Maine is highly "nexus-friendly" -- a safe haven in which call centers and their clients can avoid collecting and remitting sales tax.

• Maine was the first state to have a statewide ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) fiber-optic-based network, allowing efficient digital transmission of voice, data and full-motion video.

• Maine was the first state to link every school and library (nearly 1,200 sites in all) via Frame Relay Service. This allows Internet access at every site and positions Maine to take advantage of new distance learning opportunities.

• One hundred percent of Maine's telecommunications network is switched using digital technology, making it one of the first states in the nation with this distinction. Digital networks support advanced, higher bandwidth technologies at higher speeds.

• Maine's telecommunications system is one of the most reliable in the country. Based on FCC service quality data, Maine service and reliability ratings are among the best in the country.

• Public telecommunications policies in Maine are among the country's most supportive of economic development.

• Maine telecom companies offer the most advanced services available. Services include Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN); Frame Relay Service; Voice Messaging Services; 25 Megabit Service (MBPS); Infopath Packet Switching Service; Switchway Switched 56 Kilobit (KB) service; Superpath 1.544 Megabit Service (MBPS); Flexpath Digital PBX Service; Digital Centrex Service; Digital Data Services 2.4 KB 56 KB; Caller Identification and Call Trace.