Ericsson today announced that it is partnering with Esat BT, the Irish arm of BT Ignite, BT's business services and solutions division, to deploy Ireland's first DSL solution specifically designed for the business market. The contract award is in the value of €25m.
BT Ignite will use the DSL platform to offer Internet, data and voice services to corporate customers in Ireland. Ericsson will manage, support and rollout the DSL solution, comprising DSL Equipment for co-location sites, Voice over DSL equipment for the integration of voice and data over the same DSL line, customer premises equipment and integrated access devices for BT Ignite customers.
"BT Ignite is the first to offer DSL services to the business market in Ireland and we are delighted to have Ericsson as our partner," said Steve Andrews, President, Carrier and Networks, BT Ignite. "We view a partnership approach to developing our networks as key to delivering the best services cost effectively across Europe, and this is another example of how working with a leading supplier such as Ericsson is helping us to further develop our services."
"BT Ignite had set some very demanding technical and performance targets, insisting on a world class solution at a very competitive cost and I am delighted that Ericsson met their requirements," said Stefan Feniuk, Vice President of Communications Solutions at Ericsson. "By choosing Ericsson to manage the complete DSL service, and with the capacity and reliability of the solution, BT Ignite are well positioned to meet the growing demand for DSL services rapidly and cost effectively throughout Ireland and Europe."
Ericsson partner, Zhone Technolgies, Inc., will provide some of the equipment in the ENGINE range, including DSLAMs, voice gateways and DSL modems, as part of the end-to-end broadband platform to be supplied to Esat BT in Ireland as a build and operate managed service from Ericsson.
Based on equipment from Ericsson's ENGINE access range, Esat BT's DSL service is available from 29th April 2002 on a phased basis as part of Esat BT's national rollout plan to major urban areas in Ireland.
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Read more at http://www.ericsson.com/press
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
Peter Olofsson, Director Public Relations
Ericsson Corporate Communications
Phone: +46 8 719 18 80, +46 70 267 34 45
E-mail: peter.olofsson@lme.ericsson.se
Paula Wagstaff, Director Communications
Ericsson North Western Europe
Phone: +44 1444 234354
E-mail: paula.wagstaff@etl.ericsson.se
Una McGirr
Director of Communications
Esat BT
Phone: +353 86 6070858
E-mail: una.mcgirr@esat.com
About BT Ignite
BT Ignite is BT's business services and solutions division, serving customers worldwide. As an information and communications technology service provider, BT Ignite provides integrated data and value-added services to meet the European needs of global multi-site corporates and the global needs of European corporates.
BT's extensive global network and strong strategic partnerships enable BT Ignite to serve customers in all key commercial centres of Europe, North America and Asia.
The BT Ignite portfolio ranges from desktop and network equipment and software, transport and connectivity, IP-based e-business solutions, managed network services and systems integration to consultancy for complex global requirements.
With 17 years of experience in global account management, BT Ignite has 50% of people based outside the UK, serving large business customers worldwide.
Further information is available at www.btignite.com.
About ENGINE
ENGINE is Ericsson's global multi-service network offering for network operators, designed for real-time services; a carrier-class network able to carry large and growing volumes of IP-based traffic. ENGINE efficiently builds new and migrates operators' current circuit-switched networks into a single next generation network, based on ATM and IP packet switching technologies. Ericsson's access portfolio comprises end-to-end solutions and access technologies like fiber Ethernet, copper, and wireless technologies.
Ericsson has numerous worldwide commercial agreements for ENGINE solutions including BT, Telmex, Skanova, eircom, Song Networks, Telia International Carrier, KPN, Comensus, Edisontel and others.
To learn more about Ericsson's ENGINE, please visit: http://www.ericsson.com/broadband.