[April 26, 2013] Lumos Networks Secures CE 2.0 E-Access Certification Tweet Apr 26, 2013 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- Less than a year after achieving CE 1.0 certification for its EPL and EVPL services, Lumos Networks said it has become the first U.S. provider to achieve CE 2.0 E-Access Certification. According to the company, CE 2.0 certification marks another milestone for Lumos Networks, already recognized as an industry leader in Ethernet services. Lumos Networks is now one of the few organizations worldwide to have met these new stringent certification requirements. "We are very excited about our most recent certification and the standards it brings to our customers," says Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President Joe McCourt. "CE 2.0 certification ensures that Lumos Networks' Metro Ethernet services meet the worldwide MEF standards for Ethernet Data Communications and further positions Lumos Networks as the clear data network leader in the Mid-Atlantic region." "Next generation Carrier Ethernet 2.0 (CE 2.0) extends the original Carrier Ethernet remit with vital added features including multiple classes of service, greater manageability and easier interconnect for all eight standard service types, enabling new levels of efficiency for mobile backhaul, making it easier for a large number of access providers to join the Carrier Ethernet community and establish Carrier Ethernet as a business class cloud service carrier. The main market drivers continue to dominate business: bandwidth growth, mobile data and LTE migration and the growth of public and private cloud computing," states Nan Chen, President, MEF. Lumos also said that CE 2.0 certification allows it to be classified with other leading carriers handling Ethernet services and provides a competitive edge over other carriers that have not received the CE 2.0 certification. By certifying as an CE 2.0 Service Provider Lumos can: -Accelerate the sale of Carrier Ethernet services by saving its enterprise and service provider customers considerable time and resources in assessing its service offering -Differentiate its CE 2.0 standards based Carrier Ethernet service products from the offerings of other Service Providers -Connect quickly based on use of 2.0 certified equipment E-LAN services provide customer benefits to both Enterprise and Wholesale customers, as the certification ensures that standards are met for multipoint to multipoint networks on layer 2 services. Much of the CE 2.0 certification is focused on enabling more effective carrier to carrier connectivity and to creating a set of standards for interconnection. "By demanding Carrier Ethernet 2.0, business customers increase the likelihood of obtaining fully featured, standardized solutions that will meet mission critical connectivity requirements. Carrier Ethernet 2.0 specifications are designed to ensure flexibility, low latency, and speed performance across ubiquitous networks," says Vice President of Product Management and Engineering Craig M. Drinkhall. The MEF is a global industry alliance comprising more than 210 organizations including telecommunications service providers, cable MSOs, network equipment/software manufacturers, semiconductors vendors and testing organizations. Lumos Networks is a fiber-based service provider in the Mid-Atlantic region, serving carrier, business and residential customers over a dense fiber network offering data, voice and IP services. More information: www.lumosnetworks.com ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) ..HEADLINE -First Trust Energy Infrastructure Fund Declares Monthly Common Share Distribution First Trust Energy Infrastructure Fund has declared the Fund's regularly scheduled monthly common share distribution payable on May 15, to shareholders of record as of May 3. According to the company, the ex-dividend date is expected to be May 1. The distribution information for the Fund appears below. First Trust Energy Infrastructure Fund (FIF): Distribution per share: $0.11 Distribution Rate based on the April 19, NAV of $24.94: 5.29 percent Distribution Rate based on the April 19, closing market price of $24.23: 5.45 percent. In addition, the company noted: The distribution may consist of net investment income earned by the Fund, net short-term realized capital gains and/or tax-deferred return of capital. Tax-deferred return of capital, if any, is primarily due to the tax treatment of cash distributions made by master-limited partnerships ("MLPs") in which the Fund invests. The final determination of the source of tax status of all 2013 distributions will be made after the end of 2013. The Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide a high level of total return with an emphasis on current distributions paid to shareholders. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing primarily in securities of companies engaged in the energy infrastructure sector. These companies principally include publicly-traded MLPs and limited liability companies taxed as partnerships, MLP affiliates, Canadian income trusts and their successor companies, pipeline companies, utilities, and other companies that derive at least 50 percent of their revenues from operating or providing services in support of infrastructure assets such as pipelines, power transmission and petroleum and natural gas storage in the petroleum, natural gas and power generation industries. First Trust Advisors L.P., the Fund's investment advisor, along with its affiliate First Trust Portfolios L.P., are privately-held companies which provide a variety of investment services, including asset management and financial advisory services, with collective assets under management or supervision of approximately $72 billion as of March 31, through unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and separate managed accounts. Energy Income Partners serves as the Fund's investment sub-advisor and provides advisory services to a number of investment companies and partnerships for the purpose of investing in MLPs and other energy infrastructure securities. EIP is one of the early investment advisors specializing in this area. As of March 31, EIP managed or supervised approximately $3.7 billion in client assets. More information: www.ftportfolios.com ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]