The process of migration to BT’s next generation network

Presentation for corporate businessesissue 2 8 July 2009

Information correct at time of publication.

Introduction

The purpose of this presentation is to:

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Provide an overview of the

process of migrating to BT’s next generation network known

as 21CN.

Highlight how the impact of the

migration can affect your

business and outline

mitigating plans in place.

Provide details on useful sources

of additional information.

The overall aim is to build awareness of the process of migration to 21CN.

What is 21CN?

o BT is upgrading its voice, broadband, and ISDN lines to a next generation network (NGN), known as 21CN.

o An NGN is an intelligent, future-proof network capable of delivering communications services that will meet customer requirements in the coming decades. It offers users access to different service providers and supports generalised mobility, allowing for consistent, all-over service provision to users.

o Switched-on is the name of the programme of public information to communicate about the process of migration to BT’s next generation network.

o This communication is being managed by a working group of representatives from service providers, resellers, industry associations and Ofcom.

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Why is BT building a new network?

o Corporate and public sector customers – and their customers too – are demanding more advanced communications services. They want greater choice, greater control, richer services and the opportunity to be more productive and to expand their customer base.

o As a result, the communications industry needs a software-driven customer network to enable the delivery of a new, simpler portfolio of next generation services that will meet customer requirements in the coming decades.

o In 2008 BT began to introduce a range of next generation services to the industry including broadband and Ethernet.

o Existing services will see minimal changes in functionality, although new features may be available as a result of being switched-on. 21CN will enable enterprises to rapidly customise software applications to meet their specific business needs.

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Who will be affected by this migration?

o BT delivers network services to over 700 telecoms suppliers that provide services to customers across the UK. So even though you may not be a direct customer of BT, your services may still be carried over the BT network, and therefore you may be affected by these changes.

o All customers whose products and services run over the BT network will be affected by a short interruption on the night of migration at a point in the next few years. There will also be other short breaks as we prepare for switched on, similar to current essential maintenance interruptions to service on the existing network. Where these service interruptions are material BT has provided a planning window to ensure disruption is minimised.

5Cable networks, plus customers of Kingston Communications in East Yorkshire will not be affected. Mobile networks are not affected by the migration to 21CN.

Massive network simplification

By collapsing 17 of BT’s existing networks into one global platform and reusing capabilities and removing complexity, 21CN will deliver services to customers more quickly and more securely.

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Today

ATM

PSTN

DPCN

ATM

DSL

KiloStream

PSTN

Fibre

Copper

DWSS

SDH - MSH

SDH - mesh

PDH

IP

ATM

DPCN

PSTN

21CN

Fibre &Copper

Copper

MSAN

Call Control

Content

WWW

ISP

Multiservice access Converged core

Represents current thinking

Ethernet Backhaul

I/connects

IP / MPLS

Otherservice providers

Voice migrations – progress to date

o Working in collaboration with the Industry, BT has implemented initial voice line migrations in the South Wales area to test all processes before rolling out to other areas of the UK.

o Aprox 75,000 voice lines across 15 sites, covering two Digital Local Exchanges (DLEs) in the South Wales area have been successfully migrated to 21CN.

o The network has been stable and call quality as good as, or better than, the current network.

o During 2010 a further 275,000 customers will be migrated to test on an industrial scale and prepare for voice migration activities outside the South Wales area.

o Dates for future voice line migrations, outside the South Wales area, will be shared with the communications industry when available. Your service provider will be in touch with you when migration activities are happening in your area.

Broadband and ISDN migrations

Broadband

o Broadband migrations to 21CN are dependant on the broadband service provider in terms of if and when they offer next generation broadband services in an area once the local exchange has been enabled.

ISDN

o Pilot migration activity to date has not included ISDN lines. We are currently waiting for dates when BT will carry out a similar pilot in Northern Ireland to test ISDN migrations prior to rollout.

Reliability, continuity and resilience

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A private IP network.

A private IP network.

A well designed, highly resilient network.

A well designed, highly resilient network.

A secure, safe network.

A secure, safe network.

Preparations and progress

End customer communications

21CN Broadband exchange

enablement

Re-build of BT’s 21CN core and

transmission networks

completed

Voice migration pilot in South

WalesCustomer equipment

compatibility testing

Ethernet node enablement

Integrated system and process

testingExchange

migration process testing

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Building a robust network

o BT is working closely with service providers, manufacturers and industry bodies to test systems, services and customer equipment to ensure full interoperability with BT’s next generation network.

o World class testing facilities at Adastral Park and Swansea undertake an extensive range of system and process testing and technology ‘proving’ activities.

o BT completes its operational readiness and service introduction proving with activities in the wider network prior to full service launch.

o This is performed in conjunction with other service providers to ensure full interoperability.

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Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) compatibility testing

o Testing to date shows that the vast majority of customer equipment connected to current telephone lines and broadband services will work normally on the network once it has been switched-on.

o A comprehensive and rigorous testing programme is ongoing.

o The approach taken is to test a representative sample of each type of equipment.

o Where any issues are noted, more exhaustive testing within a category is undertaken.

To view the latest list of tested equipment, visit:

www.switchedonuk.org/corporate/how/compatibility/

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Will my products be affected?

o Some products will remain on the current network and will be withdrawn over time – examples are Private Access Broadband, IPstream and DataStream circuits.

o If your employees have broadband services that are used for home working their service could be affected by a short interruption when they are upgraded should their service provider choose to introduce next generation broadband products. Please note that whilst the Broadband service is being migrated there will be a voice service outage.

o BT has already withdrawn some products such as ISDN 2DASS and ISDN 30 1.421 and provided replacement options. More products may be withdrawn as part of portfolio management. More information can be found on the switched-on website or by talking to your service provider.

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Product portfolio impact

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Note: The BT product retirements programme is complementary but managed and run independently of the 21CN implementation programme. Following input from Ofcom and the industry, the presence of or reference to this retirements information with other 21CN materials is provided for a customer’s convenience and does not imply interdependence between the two programmes.

MIGRATING

Migration of existing products to 21CN. Includes:

•PSTN (includes, for example, Carrier Pre Select (CPS), Least-Cost Routing)

•ISDN2e, ISDN30e, WLR

MIGRATING

Migration of existing products to 21CN. Includes:

•PSTN (includes, for example, Carrier Pre Select (CPS), Least-Cost Routing)

•ISDN2e, ISDN30e, WLR

NEW

New products enabled by 21CN. Includes:

• Ethernet private circuits

• Next generation Broadband

NEW

New products enabled by 21CN. Includes:

• Ethernet private circuits

• Next generation Broadband

RETAINING

Products retained on existing platform for the time being. Includes:

•Analogue PCs, KiloStream, MegaStream, IPstream, DataStream

RETAINING

Products retained on existing platform for the time being. Includes:

•Analogue PCs, KiloStream, MegaStream, IPstream, DataStream

RETIRING

Products that have reached the end of their life-cycle or that have a replacement in the new portfolio.

Already withdrawn:

•Pre-ETSI ISDN, Meter Pulse Facility, Telex, Business Highway

RETIRING

Products that have reached the end of their life-cycle or that have a replacement in the new portfolio.

Already withdrawn:

•Pre-ETSI ISDN, Meter Pulse Facility, Telex, Business Highway

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Emergency and Critical services

Special measures will be taken by service providers who provide blue light services to minimise the impact on providers of emergency and critical services at the final point of migration (from 2010 onwards):

oMigration will not be attempted if emergency/essential calls are in progress*.

o21CN migration plans already take into account existing resilience arrangements to protect these services.

oDetailed local operational plans will be developed.

oMigrations impacting on 999 primary, secondary and alternative routings will not coincide.

oPriority will be given to migrating blue light control centres on Tuesday/Wednesday and Wednesday/Thursday nights where possible.

To aid planning, emergency services will be told:

oThe week of their migration nine months before.

oThe night of their transfer three months before.15

* Unfortunately emergency services cannot be detected on a VoIP phone.

How will my business be affected by the voice/ISDN migration activities?

o Your voice/ISDN services will experience a small number of very short interruptions due to pre-migration activities. These will prepare your lines for migration to 21CN.*

o Customers may experience some minor service interruptions at the final point of migration to 21CN.

o This only applies to a range of services that are provided over the BT network.

o If you have multiple sites in different locations these sites will probably not be migrated at the same time.

o Your service provider will contact you to discuss when the migrations will occur.

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* We do not currently have dates for further migrations in the UK but will update the telecommunications industry when a schedule is available. You will not be affected until then unless you have a business based in the South Wales area.

How will my business be affected by the voice/ISDN migration activities?

o All voice/ISDN migration activities will take place out of hours (00:01 – 06:00 unless otherwise stated) from Monday to Thursday.

o On the night of migration voice services will have an interruption of up to 3 minutes for outgoing calls and up to 10 minutes for incoming calls.

o BT will take all reasonable steps to protect any calls that are in progress on the night of migration.

o From 10pm on the night of migration to 9am at the latest the following morning, no further changes can be made to your services. For example, diverts cannot be amended. This is known as the network services freeze.

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What will I need to do?

o Your service provider will keep in touch with you to plan your migration activities and implement any alternative routing plans if required for the final night of migration.

o Review the switched-on website to understand if any incompatible CPE is being used on your network.

o If any of your services are “blue light” services, please contact your service provider to discuss how migrations will impact you.

o Build awareness of this forthcoming activity with colleagues who need to know about this programme.

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What is switched-on?

o Switched-on is the name of the programme of public information to communicate BT’s migration to a NGN.

o Switched-on is not commercial in any way and is not designed to give any single provider a competitive advantage.

o Switched-on will not communicate any new services or benefits enabled by the new network for BT or any other service provider.

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General sources of further information for you to access

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The independent public information website covering the process of migration:

http://www.switchedonuk.org

For general information about BT’s 21CN programme go to:

http://www.btplc.com/21CN/

If you have any feedback about the contents of this

presentation, for instance if you feel more information

would be helpful or if something needs further

clarification, please let your service provider know.

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Questions and Answers

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&QuestionsAnswers

Back up slides

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Back up slide – next generation servicesBroadband & voice progress March 2009

40% UK coverage

549Next generation broadband

10m end user lines enabled

Broadband

Voice

exchanges ADSL2+ enabled

100% UK city availability…

Oxford, Brighton

90% Cambridge

85% London, Exeter

75+% Reading, Southampton, Birmingham…

Voice services on 21CN

64k+ End users in South Wales

2009/10 - BT plans to extend next generation broadband coverage to exchanges serving up to 55% of UK homes & businesses – subject to market demand

Back up slide – next generation servicesEthernet progress – March 2009

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• Provides bandwidth capacity and service flexibility potential

• Product functionality is set to improve further and rollout continues …

Ethernet nodes deployment

600 nodes