BT Launches E-LAN In 28 Countries

CEN Feature (Dec 8 2011) Global

1. 

   BT recently marked another milestone for its BT Ethernet Connect Global Services portfolio by launching E-LAN Virtual Private LAN Service in 28 countries. The addition of another “building block” to the portfolio further enables businesses to set up their systems to meet their needs now, as well as add more features when they are ready for them, according to BT.

   “In addition to enabling customers to connect multiple sites, E-LAN is ideal for complex traffic patterns, which would be difficult and expensive to create using highly meshed E-Line Ethernet virtual connections,” says Claire Ritchie, head of network services marketing, BT Global services. E-LAN also simplifies disaster recovery designs and manages rapidly changing traffic patterns that would otherwise be difficult and expensive to maintain, she explains.

   BT will be extending the reach of its Ethernet Connect Global services throughout 2012, with a focus on key cities in Latin America and Asia Pacific. In the meantime, the carrier can “long line” services to additional countries. Because BT’s Ethernet Connect Global service is built on the same platform as its IP Connect Global service, which is offered in 197 countries, it’s relatively easy for BT to expand its Ethernet footprint, says Ritchie.

   While the biggest demand today is for E-Line service, customers are asking for E-LAN. BT predicts there will be great demand for it. A mix of customers including finance, government, retail and commercial are interested in Ethernet Connect services, she adds. Customers in the financial industry appreciate the ability to innovate, manage their IP layer and offer a data center-friendly environment. Government customers are using the services to evolve from legacy products.

   Because their needs are constantly evolving, customers are demanding a mix of networks such as Ethernet, VPN, IP VPN and Internet VPN, as well as the flexibility to move between those different infrastructures, says Ritchie. BT has “a number of big deals” for Ethernet Connect Global Services that are “very close to signing,” she adds, noting that they should be announced before Christmas. BT differentiates itself from all the other carriers striving to providing customers with the services they want by offering a mix of IP, Ethernet and Intranet VPN services as well as all of the other services in the BT Connect and BT Global Services portfolio, says Ritchie. 

   BT also announced that it is now offering its E-Line services in six more countries, to bring the total from 22 to 28. Countries include now offering E-LAN and E-Line include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom and the United States.

   Bookmark or Share this article

Login to comment.