TEL
05/02/2013 10:26
GENERAL
REL: 1026 HRS Telecom Corporation of New Zealand Limited
GENERAL: TEL: Telecom investing in core infrastructure upgrade
MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
TELECOM INVESTING IN CORE INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE
Telecom New Zealand announced today that it has contracted Alcatel-Lucent to
upgrade the telecommunications provider's core transport network to a
converged 100Gbps Optical Transport Network (100G OTN) this calendar year.
Telecom Chief Technology Officer David Havercroft said "this investment is
about squeezing more bandwidth out of the same amount of fibre. It will give
Telecom's network unequalled reliability, capacity and performance, and will
be crucial to achieving our vision of a data-driven future for New Zealand."
The 100G OTN is a next-generation, industry-leading protocol for the
electronics that power Telecom's core fibre network - the fibre 'backbone'
that transports both mobile and fixed services up and down New Zealand. It
brings unprecedented efficiency for Telecom when it comes to transporting
multiple services on a single optical network.
The technology is also scalable, and so will build capacity into the network
for the data demand growth expected from new technologies (such as Ultra Fast
Broadband). It will therefore support advanced business services such as
high-definition video, high-speed internet access, voice-over-IP and the
content delivery networks needed to enable movie processing and high-speed
data links for internet servers.
Andrew Miller, managing director of Alcatel-Lucent in New Zealand said,
"we're delighted to be partnering with Telecom on something that will bring
huge benefits to New Zealand. Our optical transport offering, which is unique
in the industry and proven in the global market, will expand capacity in the
network and help ensure the best experience possible for Telecom New
Zealand's customers accessing high-bandwidth services over the nationwide
network."
Equipment for building the OTN has arrived in the country and Alcatel-Lucent
technicians will begin a staged rollout from around the middle of this
calendar year.
Mr Havercroft said that Telecom's investment in the OTN would also drive cost
efficiencies by delivering services faster and on a larger scale.
ENDS
ABOUT TELECOM
Telecom New Zealand is New Zealand's largest telecommunications company. It
provides information and communication technology (ICT) services to more than
one million fixed line residential and small business customers, more than
two million consumer and business mobile customers, and services more than
800,000 broadband connections.
Telecom works for its customers through the Telecom Retail division, which
supports residential and small business customers, and its ICT division
Gen-i, which supports corporate, government and business clients.
The company owns and operates significant national infrastructure, including
the XT mobile network and the core fibre optic network that connects New
Zealand's major towns and cities. It also owns AAPT, an Australian
telecommunications company and has a 50% share in the Southern Cross
international cable network.
Telecom also contributes generously to the community through the Telecom
Foundation, the umbrella organisation for the company's charitable and
community-based initiatives.
ABOUT ALCATEL-LUCENT (EURONEXT PARIS AND NYSE: ALU)
The long-trusted partner of service providers, enterprises and governments
around the world, Alcatel-Lucent is a leading innovator in the field of
networking and communications technology, products and services. The company
is home to Bell Labs, one of the world's foremost research centers,
responsible for breakthroughs that have shaped the networking and
communications industry. Alcatel-Lucent was named one of MIT Technology
Review's 2012 Top 50 list of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" for
breakthroughs such as lightRadio(TM), which cuts power consumption and
operating costs on wireless networks while delivering lightning fast Internet
access. Through such innovations, Alcatel-Lucent is making communications
more sustainable, more affordable and more accessible as we pursue our
mission - Realizing the Potential of a Connected World.
With operations in more than 130 countries and one of the most experienced
global services organizations in the industry, Alcatel-Lucent is a local
partner with global reach. The Company achieved revenues of Euro 15.3 billion
in 2011 and is incorporated in France and headquartered in Paris.
For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com,
read the latest posts on the Alcatel-Lucent blog
http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow the Company on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent
FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT:
Lucy Jackson
Media and PR Manager Retail
Telecom New Zealand
Ph: +64 21 070 6197
[email protected]
End CA:00232631 For:TEL Type:GENERAL Time:2013-02-05 10:26:04
