Unified Communications Featured Article

Telstra Signs Deal with Tata, Reaches 116 PoPs in India

By Casey Houser
Contributing Writer

Australian telecom Telstra (News - Alert) has recently been given access to India's Tata Communications, which will provide its multinational customers with increased connectivity to several cities within India such as Jaipur, Surat, and Trichy.

According to information provided by ZDNet, the companies have signed a network-to-network interconnections agreement that will allow Telstra to utilize 116 Tata points of presence and will therefore provide it with access to tier-2 and tier-3 cities within the Asian country. Noujaim Baldwin, the head of connectivity and platforms portfolio for Telstra Global Enterprise and Services, commented that India's economy is growing and poised to become one of the three largest in the world, and as such, it provides Telstra with an increasing population to reach that is seeking improved data connections.

"The latest estimates from a PricewaterhouseCoopers (News - Alert) report predict India is set to become the third-largest economy in the world by 2030," Baldwin said. "When you combine this with its young and burgeoning working-age population, you've got a compelling consumption boom and a competitive edge that sets Asia's third-largest economy apart from many other countries.

"With these economic and social indicators in mind, we're seeing demand for data connectivity throughout India grow, as an increasing number of Asian, European, and American-headquartered businesses look to India for long-term growth opportunities."

Telstra will reportedly be able to take advantage of the Tata submarine cable network that connects to the mainland of India and runs 20 percent of the world's Internet traffic. Tata claims that it owns the "most advanced" subsea cable network, and it is that network that Telstra says will provide its own customers with decreased latency and increased network availability. In return, Noujaim says, multinational companies in Asia and throughout the world that utilize the subsea network will be able to experience "the same security, redundancy, and quality of service offered on the Telstra network."

Telstra most recently found itself in the news for the launch of its global UC service. It initially launched a UC service in Australia, but now it has reached out to seven different locations in the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Nathan Bell, the director of marketing, portfolio, and pricing for Telstra Global Enterprise and Services, said the network can provide business professionals with Web, video, and voice services that can increase business innovation and improve overall productivity.