BT Selects Tektronix for Performance Management in the Migration to 21st Century Network

BEAVERTON, Ore., March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tektronix, Inc. , a worldwide provider of communications network management and diagnostics solutions, announced that BT, one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions, has chosen GeoProbe and Advanced Performance Monitoring (APM) from Tektronix' Unified Assurance (UA) suite for its next generation network, 21st Century Network (21CN). Building on a long-term strategic partnership, Tektronix will initially provide network assurance solutions for voice service as BT transitions from a traditional circuit switched network to carrying voice services over a next generation IP network, requiring the migration of approximately 20 million customers. Tektronix' UA solution will be deployed across the entire network, monitoring each call to guarantee complete visibility and proactively manage the network and services.

Fixed service providers are under commercial pressures to reduce operating costs of multiple networks including PSTN, while at the same time protecting their market share by introducing new IP services. An end-to-end IP-based network, 21CN will consolidate BT's complex network and systems infrastructure to ensure faster, more efficient and more cost-effective delivery of the next generation of converged services. As capacity is being moved from the older parts of the network to the new, the resilience and management of services must be retained in order to avoid disruption to continuing service. Tektronix' network assurance capabilities will provide full support of legacy and next generation technologies to guarantee seamless management throughout the transition to 21CN.

"As BT works to simplify and streamline the creation, delivery and operations of existing and new services, technology from Tektronix will help to support the migration to 21CN," said Kevin Simmons, Head of Network Assurance, BT. "The Tektronix solution is scaleable to cope with the large quantity of new network elements 21CN will introduce, along with the increased customer traffic driven by the new services."

"We are proud of the long-term relationship we've established with BT and are excited to support the company's ground-breaking vision, 21CN," said Doug Dickerson, Vice President and General Manager, Network Management at Tektronix. "We understand that the migration from existing networks to the multi-service network must appear seamless to customers. Tektronix' solution will enable BT to continuously monitor the actual performance of all individual customer sessions as they traverse across network elements, services and technologies to help them deliver increased customer satisfaction and improved operational efficiency."

About BT

BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions serving customers in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific. Its principal activities include networked IT services, local, national and international telecommunications services, and higher-value broadband and internet products and services. In the UK, BT serves more than 20 million business and residential customers with more than 30 million exchange lines, as well as providing network services to other licensed operators.

About Unified Assurance

Tektronix' Unified Assurance solution, currently in operation in major networks throughout the world, is the established industry leader for managing next generation converged networks. Tektronix provides Service Providers a future proof, network infrastructure independent, highly scalable performance monitoring and management solution that supports services across legacy SS7, mobile 3G and IP multi-service and next generation networks all on the same platform.

The Tektronix GeoProbe product line addresses network assurance by providing network engineers with the information required to solve network and service problems across technologies, applications and element vendors. With GeoProbe products, network operations personnel can proactively monitor, manage, diagnose and troubleshoot the overall health of mobile, fixed and multi-service networks. In addition, GeoProbe empowers engineering and planning departments to improve network capacity growth and traffic management decision-making.

About Tektronix

Tektronix, Inc. is a test, measurement, and monitoring company providing measurement solutions to the communications, computer, and semiconductor industries worldwide. With 60 years of experience, Tektronix enables its customers to design, build, deploy, and manage next-generation global communications networks and advanced technologies. Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Tektronix has operations in 19 countries worldwide. Tektronix' Web address is http://www.tektronix.com/.

NOTE: Tektronix is a registered trademark of Tektronix, Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.