SYDNEY -- Cisco Systems® today announced that it has been selected as the preferred vendor to upgrade Telstra’s Internet Protocol (IP) core router network to provide an increased range of IP services and underpin Australia’s place as a leader in global productivity.

Telstra will deploy the Cisco® carrier routing system (CRS-1) at the core of its next generation network, to support a full range of services to all sectors of the Australian market place, including supporting IP Core transit for Ethernet services for business customers and next-generation "Triple Play" (data, video, voice) over broadband services. The CRS-1 platform, including carrier-class Cisco IOS® XR software, will be deployed by Telstra at all core points of presence across Australia, interconnected by wide-area network links.

The announcement is a major element of the strategic review announced this week by Telstra chief executive officer, Mr Sol Trujillo. Telstra and Cisco have worked closely for many years to help Australians take advantage of the potential productivity and lifestyle benefits of IP networking.

Telstra’s engineering team designed the implementation of the network transformation project with Cisco to meet Telstra’s stringent technical and business requirements, focusing on customer satisfaction and the launch of triple-play services in 2006.

The new core network is designed to deliver increased capacity, performance, predictability and continuous operation to allow Telstra to rapidly bring to market a range of IP-based multimedia services for residential and business customers, such as advanced audio and video telephony services, home entertainment services and high-priority data services.

The CRS 1 platform will also allow Telstra to reduce the operational expenditures throughout its core network by collapsing disparate, stand-alone networks into a common, single core.

Telstra joins an extensive and growing list of first tier global telecommunications carriers who are deploying the Cisco CRS-1 to serve as a cost efficient, core networking platform technology.

Cisco Australia and New Zealand managing director, Ross Fowler said the deployment of the Cisco CRS-1 at the heart of Telstra’s new national IP network will help the telecommunications leader to become one of the most efficient providers of advanced services in the world.

“Telstra and Cisco have worked closely for many years and Cisco is delighted to be expanding the business relationship to help Telstra reduce costs and provide its customers with world class IP networking services, based on the Cisco CRS-1. The built-in capacity of the CRS-1 will help enable Telstra to support the strong growth of broadband enabled services for years to come and help Australia become a leading player in the 21st century productivity race.”

Cisco Systems Inc.