Eircom Uses NetCentrex for VOIP

LONDON -- eircom today has announced it has chosen Cisco, the world-wide leader in networking and NetCentrex, the leading enabler of converged voice-video-data networks and next-generation services to deploy Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services in Ireland as part of a development programme worth €10 million over 5 years.

The chosen solutions will see Cisco’s network technology facilitate the integration of voice calls into the existing Public Telephony Network. NetCentrex will supply the applications software and hardware, which together will provide the core intelligence for eircom’s VoIP Platform. The launch of next generation telephony services delivered over VoIP follows more than four years of sustained investment by eircom in Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) and broadband IP networks. Since 2001, eircom customers have realised the benefits of IP data communications over this network, which was constructed from the start to carry both voice and data packets.

"Our initial Voice over IP service will target corporate and government customers and will be launched in the first half of 2005. This will allow our corporate customers to take advantage of the flexibility and productivity gains that Voice over IP delivers," said Cathal Magee, Managing Director eircom Retail. "The opportunity of exciting new IP services will then be extended to business customers in the form of a hosted VoIP solution. This will be followed by a residential service, which will give eircom broadband customers the opportunity to take advantage of innovative VoIP services."

Eircom Ltd.

NetCentrex SA

Cisco Systems Inc.