Quiconnect today
announces that it has been chosen by VSNL[1], a leading international
telecoms solutions provider, to be its WRIX[2] integration partner as
VSNL signs bilateral Wi-Fi roaming deals with international carriers.
This will see VSNL considerably extend Wi-Fi coverage for its customers
as they travel worldwide, as well as providing foreign telcos access to
its network of around 300 public hotspots throughout India. Quiconnect
will deliver the Wi-Fi technical roaming integration and implementation
services required to deliver this for all parties, branded to the
consumer's familiar telecoms provider.
VSNL is part of the $27 billion Tata Group. It pioneered Internet
services in India and today provides dial-up, broadband, and Wi-Fi
services under the Tata Indicom brand name. VSNL operates around 300
hotspots throughout the country at important, high traffic locations
comprising international and national airports including Bangalore,
Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune and Goa; hotels such as the Taj and Le
Meridien chains; cricket stadiums, along with numerous cafes, hospitals,
banks and shopping malls. VSNL plans to open another 1,000 hotspots this
year to increase Internet access to business and net-savvy travellers on
the move.
VSNL has always been at the forefront of Wi-Fi services in India
providing access where people most want it. Global Wi-Fi roaming is
another leadership initiative which will make VSNL the first Indian
operator to offer its customers this capability. VSNL is also the only
Indian operator to offer a flexible pre-paid Wi-Fi card - for use both
nationally and internationally - where consumers pay for actual usage
online rather than forfeiting credit if purchased time isn't used.
Prateek Pashine, VSNL's Vice President Marketing & Technology, Retail
Business says, "VSNL's philosophy is to offer products and services that
can be accessed seamlessly across the globe without customers having to
change their service providers. Working with Quiconnect, we want to
create a VSNL branded global Wi-Fi network to enhance customer
convenience as more and more people from India travel and require
Internet access."
Initially, VSNL will be marketing enhanced global Wi-Fi services to its
business customers given the majority of business users have laptops.
Quiconnect has long been championing the approach, recently adopted by
the WBA, to make WLAN access on the move simple and easy. In October
2006, it became one of three companies to be WRIX accredited and able to
provide public WLAN services to the WBA membership which comprises 28 of
the world's leading telecoms companies.
WRIX is a new standard created by the WBA in 2006 with the express
purpose of standardising and simplifying how network operators and
service providers interconnect technically to extend their network
footprint in order to provide WLAN access to their subscribers on the
move. Historically, these interconnections had been bespoke, complicated
and difficult to manage. The WRIX standard addresses these issues by
standardising various criteria involving technical interconnections,
data and reporting, as well as financial and clearing house services.
To achieve WRIX accreditation, Quiconnect had to, firstly, meet
extensive technical standards and guidelines as defined by the WBA,
secondly, be chosen by a WBA member to provide integration services and,
finally, have established at least two connections among existing WBA
members which has been done.
Jeff Mabe, Quiconnect's commercial director, says, "Simply put, you have
to meet the specifications, then actually prove you can do what you say
by showing evidence of delivery. We've ticked all the boxes based on our
specialism and innovation in the public WLAN arena. Based on a
recommendation from an existing global telecoms customer, we're
delighted that VSNL has chosen us as its WRIX and look forward to
swiftly broadening international hotspot coverage for them."
About Quiconnect
Quiconnect is a specialist provider of systems integration and
interconnectivity management solutions for telecommunications carriers
in the wireless broadband sector. Through its carrier-grade
interconnection management platform, Quiconnect connects discrete
commercial IP networks worldwide to create multiple custom-tailored
virtual networks, uniquely configured and branded for individual
carriers. It provides unique technologies to simplify and securely
automate user connections to these virtual networks, provides monitoring
and support tools, manages accounting records, and provides financial
settlement services in partnership with established clearing houses.
Quiconnect provides custom tools, technology and services to manage
interconnections for multiple bilateral roaming and access agreements -
ensuring end-to-end integrity, reducing costs, and enabling a consistent
carrier-branded user interface across multiple networks, platforms and
applications.
Headquartered in London UK, Quiconnect was founded in 2001 and has
offices in France, the USA and Hong Kong.
About The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA)
An invitation only group comprising the world's leading
telecommunications companies, the WBA is an industry alliance created in
2003 to drive adoption of wireless broadband technologies and services
around the world through the development of common commercial, technical
and marketing frameworks for wireless network interoperability. The
WBA's goal is to develop a global alliance of wireless providers to
deliver reliable, consistent WLAN services that users can trust and
which offer good customer experience.
The WBA membership today includes some 28 companies including BT (UK),
CSL (Hong Kong), Korea Telecom (South Korea), Orange (France), Portugal
Telecom, StarHub (Singapore), Téléfonica (Spain), Telmex (Mexico),
Telstra (Australia), VSNL (India), NTT (Japan), and T-Mobile (USA,
Germany, Austria, Holland and Czechoslovakia). |
