WASHINGTON -- Equant (NYSE: ENT) (Euronext Paris: EQU), a recognized industry leader in global IP and data service for multinational businesses, recently implemented an IP VPN with converged data and voice in China for APL, one of the world's largest container transportation companies.

Headquartered in Singapore, with regional headquarters in Oakland, Calif., APL was one of the first customers to select Equant IP VPN service in China after Equant and China Netcom announced a strategic partnership in 2001. The IP VPN implementation for APL includes 24 sites in China, eight of which are voice-activated. In addition to APL, Equant currently serves more than 100 customers with 500 connections in China.

An early adopter of Equant IP VPN, APL currently has 113 sites with IP VPN connections in 30 countries. A total of 33 sites also have Equant Voice for IP VPN, and five locations have Equant IP Telephony for desktop-to-desktop calling. APL, which is realizing cost savings and ease of management benefits from the converged network, recently affirmed its confidence in Equant by signing a contract extension through February 2006.

"Building a communications network in China can be very difficult. We have been really impressed with Equant's accomplishments in China and the viability of the Equant-CNC partnership model," said Cindy Stoddard, CIO of the NOL Group, which owns APL. "The knowledge sharing between Equant and CNC has enabled us to satisfy our growing needs with a cost-effective, scalable and reliable converged network solution."

Several factors were critical to the success of the APL implementation in China:

Equant also satisfied APL's requirement for redundancy on the network, including dual-nodes in key cities, as well as providing options for local access. The Equant-CNC network is identical in features, including resiliency, with the standard Equant network topology. Consequently, APL has the same visibility into its network in China as it does for all its IP VPN locations around the world. As part of its larger convergence plan, APL has voice-enabled eight of the 24 sites in China. By defining classes of service on its IP VPN, APL has prioritized its voice traffic to ensure high voice quality.

"We are seeing more and more North America-based companies come to us as they expand their business operations in China," said Lisa LaBonville, head of China Market Development, Equant. "Equant and CNC's strategic partnership brings unprecedented benefits to multinational customers, such as APL, who are doing business in China. By turning to Equant for their network requirements in China, multinational companies can tap into the local expertise and breadth of services now available through the unique Equant and CNC partnership."

Equant

China Netcom Corp. Ltd.