C&W plays next generation game

Cable & Wireless has completed the rollout of its all-IP next generation network.

The telco announced yesterday it has completed the changeover three months ahead of schedule and 15 per cent under budget, shaving £10m off the cost of the upgrade.

The IP network will now be put at the disposal of C&W's corporate customers, should they fancy it, and along with next generation services.

C&W is not the only telco throwing its weight behind next-gen networks. BT recently announced the first switchers to its own all-IP network, the 21CN. The switchover is expected to be completed in 2011.

In a recent interview with silicon.com, C&W's UK CEO, Jim Marsh, criticised BT's rollout strategy. "They need us to make their business case work, they need us to transfer our business to the 21CN. Everything I'm trying to do with our business is not to do that - I want to reduce our dependency on them. I see a fascinating challenge for them: they're working in opposition to their customer," said Marsh.

C&W is in the middle of a restructuring process which it hopes will restore its fortunes after a troubled period that saw it lay off hundreds of employees and divest itself of its consumer broadband business Bulldog.