Metropolitan Fiber Systems
Metropolitan Fiber Systems Inc, later known as MFS Communications Company, was a last mile provider of business grade telecommunication products such as long distance, and Internet access through its own fiber rings in major central business districts throughout North America and Europe. MFS had three divisions; MFS Telecom: Access, MFS Datanet: LAN Extension, Frame and ATM, and MFS Intelinet: Local and Long Distance voice. MFS Datanet was founded in 1992, and VP of Sales Scott Yeager together with Rick Adams of UUNET conceived and founded MAE-East (September 29, 1992), and built the first nationwide Commercial Internet backbone using long-haul DS3 trunks and ATM (December 23, 1992). MFS purchased UUNET April 30th, 1996, and was acquired by WorldCom almost 4 months later, on August 26, 1996. With the newly acquired assets, WorldCom became a powerhouse in the late 1990s but fell into financial issues due to bad management from WorldCom executives. The majority of the Legacy MFS Executives (through the help of Kiewit and other investors) started another company, Level 3 Communications. MFS Employees also started NorthPoint Communications. MFS Telecom was well known as the first major competitive local exchange carrier bypassing incumbent local exchange carrier connections and their high prices. [1] MFS Datanet was known for founding MAE-East with UUNET, PSINet, Sprintnet, MCINet, and SURAnet. [2]