BT to Use Clarent for Networks in Central, Eastern Europe

[London, ENGLAND] BT and IP telephony solutions provider
Clarent Corporation said Wednesday that BT will use Clarent’s
products when it deploys new IP telephony networks in
Central and Eastern Europe.

Starting with Hungary and the Czech Republic, BT is
getting ready to introduce IP telephony far from its
home base in the U.K.

“We are using new technologies to expand our presence
in new markets and as a first step BT Hungaria has
installed and is operating a VoIP service,” said
Frank Bosmans, director for Central and Eastern Europe,
BT Ignite.

Bosmans explained that one reason for choosing Clarent
is that its products are the platform for Concert’s
global IP telephony clearinghouse. Concert is BT’s
joint venture with AT&T, and BT itself has recently
joined the clearinghouse which provides members with
access to 220 termination points around the globe.

Richard Heaps, chief operating officer at Clarent Corporation,
said that BT is a very strategic customer for Clarent
because it is committed to implementing IP telephony
in many places — Central and Eastern Europe being among
the first.

“BT’s strong presence in this region combined with the
company’s commitment to building a first-rate converged
network should contribute greatly to BT’s success in
this region,” commented Heaps.

BT, constantly under fire for the high cost of its services
in the U.K., is planning to offer a whole portfolio of
low-cost IP-based services in Central and Eastern Europe.
In these price-conscious markets, BT will sell wholesale
IP telephony services to carriers and offer retail
services direct to business customers.