Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe Limited, the leading supplier of high performance telecommunications solutions, has been awarded an exclusive contract - against heavy competition - to supply its FBX-Access Multi-Service Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) range of equipment to British Telecommunications plc (BT), for deployment across the operator's UK network.

Already a preferred supplier of SDH technology to BT - with FBX-Access equipment installed in some 350 sites to date - this solution provides much of BT's high speed, high capacity optical fibre connection to business customers. The awarding of the contract to be the sole supplier of BT's access SDH network came about following another manufacturer's decision to withdraw from the project.

BT originally stated it was to award 50% of its SDH business to Fujitsu in July 1998. Throughout the project, Fujitsu has fully complied with BT's development timescales, completing first trials in September 1999 and starting full roll-out in December 1999. The commercial service was launched in February 2000 and, by May 2000, Fujitsu had equipped 140 of BT's largest sites with its FBX-Access SDH solution. The new contract now involves Fujitsu in the fulfilment of all BT's access SDH requirement, deploying FBX-Access in up to 700 further sites by March 2001.

Commenting on the importance of this contract announcement, Fujitsu Telecommunication Europe Ltd's managing director, Shigeyuki Unagami, said: "Winning 100% of BT's SDH access requirement underlines Fujitsu's capability to develop and deliver technologies against rigid timescales, and reflects the telecommunications industry's need for ever shorter times to market. BT's SDH roll-out has involved an aggressive programme, with Fujitsu successfully meeting the challenge through dedication and organisation. This new contract marks an important development for Fujitsu, not just in terms of increased revenue. It builds and strengthens both our market share and our position as a key provider of technological, business-orientated solutions."

Forming an important part of Fujitsu's latest-generation access network solutions, the FBX-Access Multi-Service SDH platform combines exceptional manageability and resilience, with the facilities to manage new-generation ATM/IP technology alongside legacy services. Handling a variety of network access infrastructures - copper and fibre - FBX-Access provides the means to take fully-managed SDH services all the way to the customer, without compromising varying bandwidth requirements, network reliability or service availability.

Addressing the spectrum of network operators' access requirements for both narrowband and broadband service delivery, FBX-Access concentrates all the required elements into a single platform - fusing innovation and flexibility into a standard-setting solution. With its ability to support multi-port optical fibre as well as HDSL line cards in the same chassis, the product significantly extends the benefits of SDH and DSL technology, overcoming the traditional cost limitations that resulted in SDH being viable only for the core network. By taking SDH out into the access domain, operators can respond to the continual challenge of meeting customers' demands competitively and efficiently.

Currently employing 1,230 staff around Europe, Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe is a strategic division of the Telecommunications Group, Fujitsu Limited, Japan - one of the world's largest communications equipment suppliers. Fujitsu's customer base includes wide-ranging contracts across the breadth of modern telecommunications networks. Focused on providing strategic end to end solutions, Fujitsu offers a complete turnkey service - from project planning, community liaison, cable laying and civil engineering, to installation, implementation and ongoing maintenance.

Headquartered in Birmingham, Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe has extensive research and development facilities and also operates as part of Fujitsu's global manufacturing resource. The company has a long-established track record for product and service innovation, with extensive expertise in the field of leading edge optical transmission and telecommunications switching technology. This ranges from the development of the most advanced Photonic Network Solutions; to Passive Optical Networks; Fibre Access Systems; Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) networks; Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) solutions; Radio Access Systems and IP Applications; in addition to its TMN-compliant Network Management Systems.


About BT

British Telecommunications plc is one of the world's leading providers of telecommunications services and one of the largest private sector companies in Europe. Its principal activities include local, long distance and international telecommunications services, mobile communications, Internet services and IT solutions. In the UK, BT serves 28 million exchange lines and more than seven million mobile customers, as well as providing network services to other licensed operators. BT has operations worldwide, with ventures, for example, in the Republic of Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, New Zealand, Japan, Latin America and India.

In the year to March 31, 2000, BT's total turnover, including its share of its ventures' turnover, was £21,903m with a pre-tax profit of £2,942m.

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