Marconi Wins $1 Billion BellSouth Contract

Marconi PLC Thursday won a $1 billion contract to deploy its fiber equipment for BellSouth‘s network, which will allow the carrier to offer ATM-based broadband services.

BellSouth (BLS) will add the new build to new houses and its existing
fiber-to-the-curb system in its nine-state area of operation, a system which has a total subsciber base of nearly 500,000. The deployment will allow BellSouth to offer high-speed Internet access and multimedia services.

Marconi says the deal will create $1 billion in revenue for BellSouth over the next three years, and represents “the largest commitment to date from a U.S. carrier to drive high-speed, fiber optic-based technology deep into its network.”

Mike Parton, Marconi Communications’ chief executive officer, said that next year’s deployment will ensure that BellSouth will have the largest North American installed base for this type of broadband network.

The deal follows an earlier agreement in which Marconi will provide its
Integrated Fiber in the Loop (IFITL) to the BellSouth network.

BellSouth provides telecom services in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.