BT Group Signs Five Year Agreement with Tellabs for Mobile Backhaul Service

BT Group plc has selected Tellabs in a five-year deal to provide solutions for part of its Ethernet-based mobile backhaul service. BT (News - Alert) Wholesale is focused on providing Managed Ethernet Access solutions for mobile operators who use the company’s 21^st Century Network-based service.

 

"Our customers demand a comprehensive solution, which is both scalable and flexible in delivering their 2G, 3G voice and data services," said George Nazi, managing director of BT's 21CN program, in a Tuesday statement. "We chose the Tellabs (News - Alert) solution because it brings manageability, flexibility and scalability in meeting these demands."

"Managed Ethernet Access for Mobile Operators enables mobile operators to cope with the rapid growth in high-speed mobile data," added Nazi. "Tellabs demonstrated the solution and capability to deliver synchronized timing capability on its terminating equipment."

The terms of the contract dictate that Tellabs will deliver its mobile backhaul solution, which includes the Tellabs 8600 managed edge system, and consulting and support services. The solution has experienced quick and widespread traction among operators throughout the world as a key element of Tellabs’ strategy to innovate in growth markets.

 

"Our mobile backhaul solution is designed to help mobile and wireline customers succeed," said Rob Pullen, CEO and president at Tellabs, in the Tuesday statement. "We are pleased that we can provide an innovative solution for BT, a key player in the global communications market."

BT is also preparing itself for the customers’ migration from traditional E1 leased lines to higher-capacity and more cost-effective Ethernet-based base station connectivity. This latest deal with Tellabs will enable the company to meet the customers’ growing needs for managing data traffic growth more cost-efficiently.

Relying on Tellabs 8600 system, BT will be able to roll out its Managed Ethernet Access Service end-to-end. This infrastructure also allows BT’s customers to converge all their 2G and 3G traffic across the Ethernet infrastructure.

 

Tellabs’ 8660 access switch will be implemented at the mobile aggregation sites. At the same time, the 8605 access switch will be located at the mobile cell sites. The company’s Professional Services division is providing consultancy and network design services to complement BT’s capabilities.

Tellabs’ 8000 network management system will manage the network to ensure a smooth transition from today's TDM and ATM infrastructure to an all-IP network, in line with BT's 21CN vision.

With recent research indicating that consumers do not plan to cut back on their media spending, those operators delivering mobile services to their customers must be able to have access to flexible, scalable and cost-effective solutions.

By forming strategic partnerships – such as the one between BT Group (News - Alert) and Tellabs – companies are much more likely to achieve strong differentiation in the market and drive organic adoption and growth.