Zbyslaw --
Here's another Cisco-NN comparison. Guess who's doing the backbone switches?
January 26, 1999 15:34
-CISCO SYSTEMS: Planet Online selects Cisco to help Dixons launch innovative free Internet service in UK
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M2 PRESSWIRE-26 January 1999-CISCO SYSTEMS: Planet Online selects Cisco to help Dixons launch innovative free Internet service in UK (C)1994-99 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
-- Planet Online, Europe's Largest Web Services Firm, Relies on Cisco AS5300Universal Access Servers to Help Launch Freeserve, the UK's First Free Full- Featured Internet Service
SAN JOSE, Calif., -- Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced that Planet Online, a UK backbone Internet Service Provider and Europe's largest web services firm, has selected the Cisco AS5300 Universal Access Server to provide dial-up Internet access for Dixons' Freeserve, an unprecedented free Internet service for UK-based consumers.
The Freeserve service has prompted over 900,000 registered accounts to log on demand, Planet Online placed volume orders for the Cisco AS5300 Universal Access Server to supplement its previously deployed Cisco-Powered Network, and has created the world's largest known multi-chassis multilink live network in the world, in excess of 150 Cisco access servers.
Planet Online cited several reasons for its selection of the Cisco AS5300 Universal Access Server, including its 10/100 Fast Ethernet capability, modem/ISDN support and the superior scalability and support offered by Cisco equipment.
A wholly owned subsidiary of Energis plc, which is one of the UK's largest national telecom companies, Planet Online has teamed with the Dixons Stores Group, the UK's largest electrical retailer, to help it launch the Freeserve service. Freeserve, which is wholly owned by Dixons, is the UK's first fully featured Internet service available for free, with no registration or subscription fees and no hourly on-line charges. Freeserve customers pay only a normal charge for a local rate telephone call.
In addition to Freeserve, Planet Online services over 2500 companies by hosting their web sites and services within the Planet Network Operations Center, Europe's largest high-security web farm. Planet Online has already deployed a large number of Cisco AS5300 Universal Access Servers, including both modem and ISDN dialup, as well as Cisco 7500 series routers, the Cisco Catalyst(R) 5500, and the LightStream(R) 10/10. "With the Freeserve Internet service, we've gone from no users to over 700,000 active users in under four months, and we're adding new users daily," said Ian Rhodes, network operations manager, Planet Online. "We obviously have placed huge demands on the network, but with the high density and performance of the AS5300 we've been able to scale to accommodate this capacity requirement."
John Beaumont, Planet's Managing Director, stated, "We chose Cisco to deliver this innovative network because of the reliability of the equipment and the end-to-end quality of service made possible by deploying Cisco."
"Planet Online is impressive in its dedication to top quality and service, and has quickly leapt to the forefront among UK-based Internet Service Providers," said Berton Keith, product line manager, High End Remote Access Solutions for Cisco. "UK consumers will greatly benefit from Planet Online's services for Dixons' Freeserve."
Cisco AS5300 The Cisco AS5300 is designed to support the growing volume of dial-in and voice connections to service providers and corporate networks. It delivers optimum performance for as many as 60 voice sessions or as many as 240 concurrent analog modem calls and ISDN B channels over a single dial-in telephone number. As the next-generation Cisco universal access server, the Cisco AS5300 raises the bar for performance in high-traffic, real-world environments.
About Planet Online/Energis plc Energis plc, the telecommunications company focused exclusively on the business marketplace, built its national network primarily along the National Grid's electricity pylon infrastructure. The company has over 6,500 kms of fiber optic cable installed throughout England and Wales, a capacity sharing agreement with Scottish Telecom and an international license. Energis offers businesses a full portfolio of national and international services together with value-added Internet and intranet services. These services include innovative telephony services, advanced Frame Relay and ATM for data transmission and enhanced voice services such as local rate, national rate and freephone. energis.co.uk.
Planet Online is a wholly owned subsidiary of Energis, having been acquired by Energis in August 1998. It was formed in July 1995 with the specific objective of providing high performance Internet and intranet solutions to the corporate business market. theplanet.net.
About Cisco Systems Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco news and information are available at cisco.com.
CONTACT: Helen O'Hanlon, PR Manager UK, Cisco Systems Inc Tel: +44 (0)181 756 8450 e-mail: hohanlon@cisco.com WWW: cisco.com
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Now, note what NN's doing:
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prodweb.newbridge.com
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November 25, 19Energis and Newbridge Sign New Five-Year Agreement Valued at Approximately $200 Million
SuperComm, ATLANTA, Georgia, June 11, 1998 -- Energis and Newbridge Networks today signed an agreement under which both companies will align their data networking strategies for the future. The agreement includes a contract valued at approximately $200 million for asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching equipment and related services, as well as the formation of a five-year 'Partners in Data' agreement. This extends the two companies' existing three-year relationship in the development and deployment of advanced data services.
By working together on current and future products, Energis and Newbridge will ensure that the multiservice data network fully meets the service requirements of Energis' customers. Energis was the first carrier to launch an ATM service in the UK and has already deployed ATM and frame relay solutions for a broad range of customers, including The Mirror Group, Boots, and the BBC's digital television network. Through Energis' extensive customer base, Newbridge will benefit from the ability to assess and respond to emerging trends in data requirements.
"The demand for sophisticated data services is growing rapidly," said Geoffrey Cheetham, Marketing Director, Energis. "Under 'The Partners in Data' agreement we gain the industry's most advanced switching solutions, which Energis will be able to build on to deliver innovative new services that match the requirements of both existing and new customers."
Alan Lutz, President and Chief Operating Officer, Newbridge Networks, said: "We are delighted to further deepen our relationship with Energis, which has already proven to be very successful for both companies. The closer cooperation between our two companies will enable us to meet the changing demands of corporate customers today and in the future. Increasingly, customers want flexibility, low cost of ownership, a seamless migration path, low operating costs, and a degree of future-proofing. Energis' creative approach to services, combined with the Siemens / Newbridge industry-leading ATM platforms and network and service management systems, will continue to deliver truly innovative business services to customers."
Energis' data services centre around the Siemens / Newbridge MainStreetXpress™ 36170 Multiservices Switches, offering business customers unique value in meeting their needs for Internet, intranet, data, voice and video applications. These data services are supported from the Energis operations centre by sophisticated network and service management capabilities based on the Siemens / Newbridge MainStreetXpress 46020 Network Manager, which ensures the highest service performance levels.
Another interesting press release from Energis:
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UK's Energis Planning 1.7 Billion Dollar US Assault
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LONDON, ENGLAND, 1998 NOV 25 (NB) -- By Steve Gold, Newsbytes. Energis, the National Grid telecommunications spin-off, has quietly unveiled a master plan that could see it turn into a major player in the global telecommunications marketplace.
The company's parent, National Grid, plans to sell off its 2.3 billion pound ($4.15 billion) stake in Energis over the next three to five years to help fund a massive overseas expansion drive.
According to David Jones, National Grid's chief executive, the firm is looking to sell its 74 percent stake in Energis at a premium, with the express aim of building up Energis' and National Grid's international operations to generate at least 20 percent of its profits outside the the UK.
As part of this expansion, Jones said that National Grid is looking to spend at least a billion pounds ($1.7 billion) acquiring an electricity transmission and distribution business in the US.
In parallel with this, the firm is looking to roll out a series of international Energis-style services around the world, kicking off with competitive long distance networks aimed at business users in India and Poland. National Grid, officials say, has around 200 million pounds ($340 million) seed money for such investments.
As reported previously by Newsbytes, Energis has been building its business customer base steadily in the UK for some time, using its national network that runs alongside the UK's electricity distribution network which operated by National Grid.
When Energis was floated on the London Stock Exchange 11 months ago, it generated just over 200 million pounds for National Grid, since when its shares have almost quadrupled. This still leaves National Grid with around $2.3 billion-worth of shares at current market rates.
Jones said that National Grid is in serious discussions with a number of potential US companies about acquisitions and expects to tie up the deal by March of next year at the latest.
"The US is the largest market in the world and it is going through material restructuring and changes in regulation," he explained, adding that National Grid has shown a 50 per cent cost reduction since the firm were formed in 1990 and so could bring expertise there.
Newsbytes notes that half-year results just in from Energis show that the firm is making excellent profits -- even though pre-tax profits are down by 2 percent to 221 million pounds owing to a doubling of interest charges in its accounts.
Earlier this week, Newsbytes spoke to Joe Kelly, a spokesperson for Energis, about the company's growth in recent times. Energis' growth, he said, has been because the firm has concentrated on business, rather than residential, customers.
"For the past few years the firm has been concentrating on the business market. The company has just acquired Planet Online, the Leeds-based Internet service provider (ISP) and its Metro Holdings joint venture with Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom is doing extremely well," he said.
According to Kelly, Energis is now routing many of its business calls across Metro Holdings' newly opened London Metropolitan Area Network (MAN).
Energis' Web site is at energis.co.uk .
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