BT to provide videoconferencing services to SWIFT

BT has won a three-year managed services contract to provide financial messaging provider SWIFT with a unified communications video solution for five central offices distributed around the globe.

The solution includes two of Cisco's high-end 3000 series high-definition TelePresence units that provide an "immersive" meeting experience, as well as reduce travel costs and save the environment. The 3000 systems integrate three 65-inch plasma screens and a specially designed table for six participants on one side of a "virtual table," along with cameras, lighting and speakers.

Units will be connected to SWIFT's backbone for security reasons, given that the entity - more formally, the "Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication" -- operates a worldwide financial messaging network for banks and other financial institutions, along with issuing bank identifier codes for money transfers.

BT is providing implementation of five locations, supporting equipment and software, proactive system monitoring and remote diagnostics, as well as managed services including 24/7 helpdesk support and on-site maintenance. Exact terms of the contract were not released, but a list price estimate of the hardware involved is upward of $800,000 alone.

For more:
- BT has a release here.

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