Paris, October 26, 2000 -Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) has won a
multi-phased order with an estimated value of Euro 200 million from its
channel partner Marconi, to provide BT with the Alcatel 7670 Routing Switch
Platform (RSP). The 7670 RSP will be installed at the very heart of BT's
Multiservice Intranet Platform (MSIP), where it will aggregate and switch
traffic from Internet, dial services, and traffic from BT's ADSL and
broadband leased-line networks. As a result of a separate and earlier
contract, Alcatel is also a key provider of BT's ADSL technology, including
central office lines and modems.
Pearse Flynn, President of Alcatel's Carrier Networking Group, said: "We're
doing exactly what we said we would when we re-launched Alcatel's vision
post the Newbridge acquisition. We are going after the world's premier
service providers -both incumbent and new generation -who already have
Alcatel broadband gear at the edge or the core of their networks, and
selling them the complete end-to-end solution. This takes BT's MSIP to
the cutting edge of functionality and scalabily needed for the rapidly
expanding broadband services market. Having best-in-class products in every
position helps a lot. This deal reaffirms our belief that Alcatel solutions
will capture, aggregate and switch the lion's share of the world's
broadband traffic."
As an example of the broadband services powered by Alcatel, BT has set out
to provide home and business Internet users in the UK with an ultra-fast
and content-rich Internet service. Users benefit from always-on broadband
access, with speeds for home users starting at 500 kb/s, 10 times faster
than conventional modems. Of equal importance, the service will include
unique content, developed with many prestigious partners, designed to
exploit the full potential of the high-speed connection. The services from
BT, and those from other service providers, will include on-demand video
and music, all at high quality.
The 7670 RSP, Alcatel's next generation multi-protocol platform, will
provide high capacity, QoS-assured, carrier class switching and routing for
IP/MPLS and ATM based services. The 7670 RSP will scale from its initial
throughput of 50G/s to 450Gb/s whilst actually in service, enabling BT to
keep pace with the aggressive roll-out of its broadband networks without
service downtime. The ability of the 7670 RSP to guarantee quality of
service to IP applications and services, combined with its class leading
in-service scalability, was proved conclusively during rigorous testing and
proved decisive in helping Marconi to win the contract.
Alcatel is the worldwide market leader in DSL, and is the clear technology
leader in core broadband switching.
About BT
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is one of the world's leading providers
of telecommunications services and one of the largest private sector
companies in Europe. Its principal activities include local, long distance
and international telecommunications services, mobile communications,
Internet services and IT solutions. In the UK BT serves 28 million
exchange lines and more than seven million mobile customers. International
direct-dialled telephone service is available to more than 200 countries
and other overseas territories -covering 99 per cent of the world's 800
million telephones.
BT is expanding its presence overseas rapidly and has operations in more
than 30 countries worldwide, with ventures in the Republic of Ireland,
France, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, New
Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Latin America and India.
BT and AT&T have also created Concert, the leading global
telecommunications company serving multi-national business customers,
international carriers and Internet service providers worldwide. Concert
provides customers with communications services on an unprecedented scale,
scope and quality, with the industry's broadest portfolio of voice, data
and Internet services. Concert's frame relay network reaches every major
city in the United States and the United Kingdom, and extends to an
additional 170 cities in 47 countries. Its global public network reaches
directly 237 countries -more than any other existing network.
In the year to March 31, 2000, BT's total turnover, including its share of
its ventures' turnover, was "21,903m with a pre-tax profit of "2,942m.
About Marconi
Marconi plc is a global communications and IT company with around 49,000
employees world-wide and sales in over 100 countries. It supplies advanced
communications solutions and the key technologies and services for the
internet. Marconi plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the
symbol MNI.
About Alcatel
Alcatel builds next generation networks, delivering integrated end-to-end
voice and data networking solutions to established and new carriers, as
well as enterprises and consumers worldwide. With 120,000 employees and
sales of EURO 23 billion in 1999, Alcatel operates in more than 130
countries.
alcatel.com |
