7 January 2003 -- Telecom Italia has awarded London-based Marconi a new, two-year frame contract worth EUR15m to install a national optical backbone
network in Italy based on Marconi's next-generation, high-capacity optical cross connect (MSH2K).
The equipment, part of Marconi's new Series 4 SDH (synchronous digital hierarchy) portfolio, was launched in mid-September 2002.
Marconi says that, following completion of the project, Telecom Italia will have available a next-generation network, characterised by high standards of network protection and traffic re-routing in the case of signal failures, across which the operator will be able to provide new, innovative services.
The new equipment has been developed by Marconi at its laboratories in Genoa and is manufactured in Marcianise, both in Italy. The implementation of this infrastructure will provide Telecom Italia with a flexible and cost-effective evolution towards integrated optical networks, with fast restoration capabilities based on the GMPLS protocol (Generalised Multi Protocol Label Switching).