Company Press Release:
BT ACTIVATES NEW
NODE IN CHENNAI
Enhance global capabilities
for multinational customers in India
NEW DELHI , 23 MARCH,
2007 – BT today announced the activation of a new multi-protocol label
switching (MPLS) node in Chennai, India. As part of BT’s 21st Century Network
(21CN) programme, the new node establishes BT’s IP backbone in India and
further expands services available to BT’s customers.
Chennai’s importance as
a core landing point for sub sea cables enhances BT’s diversity into and
out of India from Asia, thus improving the availability of applications
and multimedia services to BT’s corporate clients. An additional node in
Bangalore and a new node in Hyderabad are also scheduled to go live this
month, with other new nodes due for launch this year in Mumbai, Pune and
Kolkata.
The investment in new nodes
demonstrates BT's commitment to its multi-national customer base, especially
those with significant operations in India and Indian corporations which
have operations worldwide. These customers are demanding a globally consistent
set of services with high levels of accuracy, cost-efficiency and reliability
wherever they do business. The expansion of BT’s own MPLS network into
India also enables more companies to maximize the benefits from BT’s networked
IT capability in the areas of convergence, CRM and security around the
globe.
Andy Green, CEO of BT Global
Services, said: “An increasing number of multinational companies
are expanding their operations in India and a rising number of local Indian
corporations are becoming global. We are investing in new nodes to provide
our customers in India with enhanced global connectivity.
These nodes will provide
seamless, reliable access to and from the Indian facilities of these companies,
connecting them to markets and operations across the world. Customers in
India will benefit from improved performance and increased resiliency at
the same time.”
The Honourable Mr. Dayanidhi
Maran, Minister of Communication and IT, Government of India, said:
"The addition of a new node in Chennai will further enable the Indian IT
and BPO industries and other corporations to utilize BT’s world-class connectivity
services. I am very pleased that BT is committed to its 21CN program
in India, which provides us with the best and latest networked IT capability.
This will further promote investment into India and enhance business opportunities
for Indian companies operating overseas.”
BT's global 21CN is expanding
quickly, adding a new city around the world every week. BT believes its
next-generation network to be the broadest, richest and most resilient
in the world, enabling companies and organizations to instantly trade across
the globe with high speed and great resilience. In the past three years,
BT in Asia Pacific has invested more than US$100 million in expanding its
regional network. In February 2006, BT announced a US$21 million
investment in a global IP-based voice platform which will see the current
legacy TDM network replaced by an MPLS-based network across over 30 countries
worldwide. A significant portion of this is planned to be invested in India.
About BT
BT is one of the world’s
leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in
170 countries. Its principal activities include networked IT services,
local, national and international telecommunications services, and higher-value
broadband and internet products and services. BT consists principally
of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and
BT Wholesale.
In the year ended 31 March
2006, BT Group plc’s revenue was £19,514 million with profit before
taxation of £2,040 million.
British Telecommunications
plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually
all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed
on stock exchanges in London and New York.
For more information, visit
www.bt.com/aboutbt. BT images are available for download via the
image library at www.vismedia.co.uk