Global Crossing Inks $100 Million Deal To Provide Worldwide IP Services

Global Crossing has been awarded a $100 million contract to provide global IP-based network services for the British Council, a non-profit educational and international relations organization based in London.

The seven-year contract is part of the Council's Strategy 2010, and will ultimately connect 7,000 users at 260 offices in 110 countries worldwide when the network is fully operational in 2007. The Council will use Global Crossing's privately owned and operated MPLS-based IP backbone to offer educational services and top deploy new IT systems.

Indeed, in the first phase starting next month, the network will connect Council offices in India, Sri Lanka, Oman and the United Arab Emirates to implement a new network-based finance and business system. The Council also expects to deploy advanced communications services like videoconference alongside the network's more mundane data traffic. The network will provide differentiated class of service to ensure that high-priority applications like FABS and videoconferencing have appropriate levels of bandwidth.

"We are delighted the British Council has chosen Global Crossing for this ambitious project. It underscores the strength of our global network and our expertise in the design and implementation of complex, fully managed global communications systems," Global Crossing CEO, John Legere said in a statement. "Global Crossing's suite of fully interoperable, converged IP solutions deliver worldwide QoS and security for a consistent, reliable and secure experience, globally."