February 19, 2004 London--Polish GSM operator PTK Centertel has extended its agreement with Tellabs, enabling the mobile operator to expand and manage its network efficiently through extended deployment of the Tellabs 8100 managed access system and new SDH nodes from the Tellabs 6300 managed transport system. Formed in 1991, Centertel is the mobile arm of former state-owned fixed line operator Telekomunikacja Polska S.A.
With Poland about to join the European Union (EU), it is crucial that its mobile operators can meet the inherent rise in business activities and demand for their services. Centertel's decision to expand its network positions the company to meet this demand while generating revenue cost efficiently.
"The contract with Tellabs, an extension of the business relationship started in 1996, allows Centertel to keep operating costs down through one centralized team at Centertel managing two different layers of networks, PDH and SDH," said Phillipe Salin, chief technical officer, PTK Centertel. "Tellabs is extremely customer-focused and their unique, cost-effective solution allows us to continue to expand and grow efficiently."
Centertel started deploying the Tellabs 8100 managed access system in 1997 together with the Tellabs 8100 network manager, which provides end-to-end integrated network management. In 2000, the operator integrated Tellabs 6340 switch nodes into its network.
The current extension of the supply contract will result in the installation of an increased number of Tellabs solutions, including the newly launched Tellabs 6350 switch node.
The Tellabs 8100 system helps carriers introduce new services quickly and cost-effectively. It is an expandable access platform made up of network elements, network terminating units and a network management system for a variety of network applications, including mobile transport solutions and business service solutions. It features digital crossconnect nodes, flexible multiplexers and other devices. Together with the incorporated Tellabs 6340 nodes and Tellabs 6350 switch nodes it scales all the way from n x 64 Kbit/sec services to 2.5-Gbit/sec services. The Centertel network can expand to offer up to 10 Gbits/sec on SDH.
PTK Centertel is the operator of two mobile phone networks in Poland: digital IDEA with more then 5,700,000 users and the analog CENTERTEL (NMT450i). A nationwide dual band (GSM 900/1800) Idea network offers services under four brands. In both PTK Centertel networks several services are available, such as interactive voice mail, multimedia services, GPRS services, data and fax transmission, Internet access, m-banking services, information services, short text messages, intelligent network services and roaming services through 290 operators across the world. PTK Centertel's shareholders are: Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. with 66% of shares and France Telecom with 34% of shares.