Bharti to enhance Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Bharti Airtel today partnered with Hong kong based PCCW Global a move that would help carriers, service providers, subscribers and enterprises to build secure global Internet Protcol (IP) networks to support mission-critical applications.

The technology tie will also enhance Bharti's Virtual Private Network (VPN) connectivity globally.

The Hong Kong based PCCW Global will offer enhanced end to end global solutions through its global networking. PCCW Global had recently announced expanded coverage to West Asian markets including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, plus Turkey, where Europe meets Asia.

The agreement mainly focuses on the enterprise space by offering world-class services and end-to-end communication solutions.

Under the agreement today Bharti's Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Internet Protocol Virtual Private Networks (IPVPNs) will be connected to PCCWs globally.

MPLS VPN is a family of methods for harnessing the power of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) to create Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). MPLS is well suited to the task as it provides traffic isolation and differentiation without substantial overhead.

It can be used to replace existing physical links. The specification is based on the Martini drafts, which define methods to transport protocols such as ATM, Ethernet, and SONET.

Bharti currently owns 102 MPLS points of presence (PoPs) in India and is the only service provider to cover 23 telecom circles of the nation.

Bharti Airtel, Enterprise Services, President, David Nishball said, ''The agreement will enable both Bharti Airtel and PCCW Global to take network coverage to the customer's doorstep by providing seamless connectivity on their inter-connected MPLS IPVPN network in India and abroad .'' PCCW Global CEO Dan Lovatt said, ''The relationship is a part of our strategy to collaborate with global service providers so that we can work even closer with our customers in their migration to MPLS-based Next Generation Networks.'' PCCW Global, a subsidiary of PCCW Ltd, is the worldwide business unit of PCCW Ltd, one of Asia's leading players in Information and Communications Technologies (ICT).