* Level 3 expands its Business Partner Program
By Traci Patterson

Level 3 Communications’ Business Markets Group has added new components to its Business Partner Program: joint go-to-market planning, training, incentive programs and additional Web-based planning tools.

The additions are designed to aid Level 3’s partners in offering more complex services, such as Ethernet and IP-based VPN . Level 3’s Business Markets Group enables telecommunications agents and value-added resellers to sell the company’s fiber-based IP, data and voice communications services.

* Research and Markets adds quad-play to offering
By Traci Patterson

Research and Markets has added “quadruple-play bundling strategies” to its offering. “Quadruple plays have yet to prove their effectiveness,” the company said. “However, ultimately service providers will have no choice but to offer them in order to compete in the residential telecoms and media marketplace.”

* Proxilliant names Kraft director of North American sales
By Mike Robuck

Proxilliant Systems announced yesterday that Roy Kraft had joined the company as director of its North American sales. Kraft, a 28-year cable industry veteran, was previously with Tollgrade Communications.

“With the penetration of cable-based digital voice continually growing, data services requiring greater reliability and commercial services continually gaining in importance to MSOs, Proxilliant is currently supporting a fast-growing number of trials and deployments,” said Brent Levetan, Proxilliant’s VP of sales and business development, in a prepared statement. “Adding veteran executives like Roy Kraft will enable us to better assist cable operators as they work to improve the operation and reliability of their HFC networks for the ongoing delivery of these services.”