Airbus Selects Cisco Systems and France Telecom Group to Implement IP-Based Communication System

Cisco Systems will provide 40,000 IP telephone handsets and Cisco CallManager-call-processing software to cover all Airbus sites

Dubai, 19 July 2005 – Cisco Systems and France Telecom Group, and its fully-owned subsidiary Equant, has been selected by Airbus for a 5-year contract to implement an IP (Internet Protocol) Telephony solution at Airbus sites, starting with its facilities in France and the United Kingdom (UK). France Telecom Group will provide a full IP solution at the Airbus sites, while Cisco Systems, a long-term Local Area Network provider for Airbus, will provide the IP-based telephony system.

The contract involves migration from traditional private branch exchanges (PBX) to fully IP-based telephony system for 30,000 extensions in France , at the two Toulouse sites, and 10,000 extensions in the United Kingdom, at sites in Filton and Broughton.

Cisco Systems will provide 40,000 IP telephone handsets and Cisco CallManager call-processing software to cover all Airbus sites. France Telecom will provide the integration services, including support services with dedicated onsite teams to ensure efficient and complete migration to the new system, in the sites in France, whereas integration services in the UK sites will be provided by Equant.

France Telecom, the main contractor, has full responsibility for the service contract and has signed a service-level agreement that certifies its commitment to the success of the solution. Tests have been conducted with a panel of end-users to ensure user-friendliness of the system, and new functionalities have been introduced.

France Telecom and Equant will assume responsibility for the day-to-day support and management of the existing telephone system. Following the completion of a due diligence process, migration to the new IP telephony solution will be implemented. The solution includes voice messaging, contact centers and business processes such as billing and cost center allocation.

Migrating to an IP Telephony solution will allow Airbus to meet the defined cost-reduction targets as well as the scale demands of their rapidly growing business, and implement collaborative solutions that maximize employee potential. The Cisco solution will also help Airbus ensure secure and resilient communications throughout the organisation, while continuing to deliver consistent voice services to teams when they move to a new location.

Cisco Systems is one of the main network infrastructure providers to Airbus, with Cisco equipment deployed in most of the Local Area Networks already in place. France Telecom and Equant are certified Cisco Gold Partners, and share close, long-term business relationship with Cisco Systems. France Telecom has integrated Cisco technology in its network, and the Research & Development teams of Cisco Systems and France Telecom have developed numerous projects based on new technologies or applications.

"I am enthusiastic about this contract. The convergence of all business communications - voice, video or data - brings about huge benefits, including greater ROI through reduced network and administration costs, improved productivity from both end-users and the IT department, and new, high-value customer care and productivity applications. I am proud that France Telecom Group, with Equant, has been recognized for its capacity to answer on an international level and for its expertise in integration services," said Barbara Dalibard, Executive Vice President, France Telecom Enterprise Communication Services.

"In winning one of the largest managed IP Telephony deployments ever France Telecom and Equant now assume a leadership position in the global IP communications services market," added Charles Dehelly, CEO, Equant.

"The Airbus contract with France Telecom and Equant is an excellent example of how customers can make a smooth migration to advanced IP-based business communications services from legacy telephony systems by building upon their investment in Cisco technology," said Chris Dedicoat, Senior Vice President, EMEA, Cisco Systems. "The France Telecom team has the global expertise to help multinational organisations maximize their infrastructure investment and, by using Cisco's market-leading IP Communications solutions, they can demonstrate not only significant cost-savings but added value through increased productivity and efficiency over the long term for Airbus."

In 2004, Airbus achieved a turnover of more than € 20 billion, and provided support for the reliable operation of more than 3,500 Airbus airliners in service with more than 230 operators around the globe. To date, Airbus has received more than 5,000 orders from some 200 customers.