Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) today announced that it has been selected by BT Group plc as prime contractor and systems integrator for a fixed-mobile managed communication solution for enterprise customers in the UK and Europe based on its IMS compliant Corporate Mobility Manager. Named “Enterprise Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) “, BT’s project is expected to be commercially deployed early in 2007.
As prime contractor, Alcatel will lead the design, integration (including a number of third-party components) and testing of the end-to-end solution. Alcatel will supply key platform elements from its leading Managed Communication Services (MCS) portfolio and will also ensure that the solution integrates seamlessly into BT’s enterprise customer sites.
The Alcatel-primed consortium includes Lucent Technologies (who will provide the Lucent VPN Firewall and VitalAAA security products and design team specialists).
BT’s project will allow enterprise users to be reachable on a dual mode handset using one single phone number. They can make and receive both fixed and mobile calls using the network most economical for each call.
This project targets BT’s large business customers in the UK as well as multinational corporate customers throughout Europe, and will provide services across any GSM network or available wireless local area network (WLAN) infrastructure (e.g., WiFi). While being able to move freely within their “campus”, BT enterprise users will be able to access both personal and corporate directory information from anywhere. In addition, users located in a branch site – or employees travelling or working from home with a broadband connection or WiFi access – can enjoy exactly the same features as if they are working in the office.
“Typical enterprise customers today have multiple devices on multiple networks generating multiple bills and service interfaces,” said Steven Evans, BT’s Chief of Wireless Broadband and Future Products. “The Enterprise FMC” project provides one simple experience for the user whilst creating additional value from the device and network through cost savings and enhanced efficiency”.
This contract builds upon Alcatel’s successful relationship with BT, following its role as prime integrator for BT Fusion (the consumer fixed-mobile convergence service), as equipment and solutions supplier for BT Communicator (the world’s largest SIP deployment) as well as for the 21st Century Network (21CN) – BT’s next-generation network (NGN) transformation program.
“Alcatel’s extensive services integration experience with complex multi-vendor projects was a key asset in the deployment of BT’s highly successful Fusion project,” said Monika Maurer, president of Alcatel’s fixed solutions activities. “This new project represents a major step towards the delivery of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-enabled services. We look forward to working with BT as they pave the way to making fixed-mobile convergence a reality in the enterprise world.”
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