Telstra Enhances SMS Capacity

LONDON -- The telecom software products unit of Schlumberger Limited, today announced the deployment of two Short Message Service Centre (SMSC) systems at Telstra, the leading GSM and CDMA operator in Australia. The systems vastly improve Telstra’s short messaging capacity by using many new features of the Schlumberger UNIX SMSC, plus Internet Protocol (IP) Transfer Point (ITP) technology from Cisco Systems, Inc. to provide high-speed message transport via SS7 links.

Under the contract, Schlumberger will supply turnkey SMSC systems that fit seamlessly into Telstra’s existing GSM and CDMA messaging infrastructure, whilst enabling Telstra to take advantage of new features such as Transactional mode messaging and Virtual MSC (Mobile Switching Centre).

"Schlumberger has worked intensely at a local level with Telstra to ensure seamless integration to their messaging network," says Peter Lynch, Australian Country Manager, Schlumberger. "Our close working relationship with partners such as Cisco and Protocom Technology ensured compliance to Telstra’s high quality standards."

Ms Lynda O’Grady, Chief of Products, Telstra Technology, Innovation and Products, said "Schlumberger understood our market and had local experts who were able to offer a solution tailored to our existing infrastructure."

"Schlumberger SMSC components and systems integration expertise, along with Cisco's ITP family of products, uniquely position Telstra to be able to take advantage in the use of SS7 over IP technologies. Cisco is delighted to be working with Telstra on this and other IP related projects," stated Cisco Australia and New Zealand managing director, Ross Fowler. "As evidenced by Telstra, the ITP and high speed SS7 links introduce an entirely new level of throughput and cost efficiency to operators needing to expand their SS7 networks."

"Telstra, a recognised leader in the messaging field, once again sets an industry precedent by being one of the first mobile operators to deploy an economically viable large scaled SMSC system taking advantage of High Speed SS7 technologies," commented Terry McCabe, vice president research and development, Messaging Solutions, Schlumberger. "We are proud to be working with Telstra on customised solutions that herald the future direction of wireless messaging."

Telstra Corp.

Schlumberger Ltd.