Ericsson selected by BT to provide transport solutions

Ericsson selected by BT to provide transport solutions Ericsson announces that it has been selected by British Telecommunications plc (BT) to provide transport solutions for the carrier's UK international backhaul network to manage the explosion in bandwidth demand. The contract will form the basis for the next major step in managing both BT's domestically generated and overseas data information well into the next century. The enormous invasion of information through the telecommunications network is based on the accelerated use of the Internet; graphics and video communications now finding commercial applications; and global business with an emphasis on global telephony. The potential for bottlenecks in international cables and within international backbone networks is a situation that poses a major challenge to telecom operators like BT - particularly with the recent surge in Atlantic cable deployments set to hit the beaches in '98. By working in partnership with Ericsson Limited in the UK and the Ericsson business unit Transport and Cable Networks, a solution has been created for BT. From the Ericsson Transport Network Architecture (ETNA), a package of solutions have been chosen which will include: Ericsson's STM-16 ADMs; 4/4 Synchronous Cross-Connect systems; network management systems and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology. DWDM enables carriers to use the same fiber with far more capacity by splitting light into wavelength components, each one acting as an individual channel. Ericsson Optical Networking solutions (ERION ) - which will be deployed by BT - offers the first scalable DWDM system. Ericsson is the leading provider in the new telecoms world, with communications solutions that combine telecom and datacom technologies with the freedom of mobility for the user. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for its customers - network operators, service providers, enterprises and consumers - the world over. Please visit Ericsson's Press Room at: http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Carl-Magnus Hallberg, DWDM Programme Director, Ericsson BU Transport & Cable Networks Phone: +44 410 368 658 (mobile); +44 1403 277370 Paula Wagstaff, Corporate Communications Manager Ericsson Limited Phone: +44 1444 234354; mobile: +44 836 204543 Chris Moseley, External Communications Manager Ericsson BU Transport and Cable Networks Phone: +44 410 368530 (mobile); +44 1403 277156