Research and analysis firm Vertical Systems Group has singled out Cox Communications’ business group Cox Business Services (CBS) as a top tier U.S. business Ethernet provider, marking the first time a cable-based provider ranked among traditional telcos.  According to the Vertical Systems’ Mid-2007 U.S. Retail Ethernet share analysis, Cox ranked fourth with an 8.9 percent based on total ports.

The placement distinguished Cox among its cable brethren.

“There are other providers, other MSOs that fell below the reporting breakout because they’re not quite there yet in terms of coverage,” said Rosemary Cochran, principal and co- founder of Vertical Systems Group.

Cochran said the report distinguished between a typical cable small-medium business (SMB) offering of a cable modem and DOCSIS service and concentrated on Ethernet which is a “big and growing piece of our business,” said Kristine Faulkner, vice president of product development and management at CBS.

Other MSOs, “whether you’re looking at Comcast, Time Warner, Charter, Cablevision … everyone is in the commercial business and commercial game today,” she continued. “Although we may be at different stages in our maturity in the business, everyone has the same end game.”

Complete article on Telecommunications Online