Avaya completes and turns over one of world`s largest converged networks for 2002 FIFA World Cup 

Avaya Inc., a leading provider of voice and data networks to businesses, has successfully completed and turned over - on time and within budget - one of the world`s largest converged voice-and-data networks for the upcoming 2002 FIFA World Cup tournament in Korea and Japan.

The 2002 tournament marks the first time a network has had to support simultaneous FIFA World Cup matches in two countries. Beginning May 31, when the FIFA World Cup starts in Seoul Korea, through June 30, tens of thousands of journalists, players, volunteers and other participants will use Avaya`s combined voice and data systems to communicate between tournament sites and worldwide.

Avaya`s converged Internet Protocol (IP) network, which features 40,000 connections among 20 stadiums, two international media centers and two FIFA remote headquarters locations, will be used to schedule games, accredit participants, report results, track materials inventory, confirm accommodations and maintain security systems. The accreditation system has been operating in both Korea and Japan since May 5. Many volunteers and other World Cup workers have already been successfully issued accreditation passes. Avaya is an official sponsor for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the FIFA Women`s World Cup 2003 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup tournaments.

"We are pleased to announce that we have fully deployed and tested the true state-of-the-art converged voice and data network for the F'ed'eration Internationale de Football Association tournament in both Korea and Japan. Avaya is fully ready with technology to deliver what promises to be the best World Cup ever," said Doug Gardner, Avaya`s managing director for the FIFA World Cup program. "Working closely with FIFA officials, we have confirmed that multiple nations can come together to deliver the world`s most watched sporting event and Avaya will provide exceptional technology to serve billions of fans around the globe. We`re proud to say that the network for the FIFA World Cup will be a showcase for the world," he said.

The live simulation testing began at the end of April and was completed this week. The final major tests of the network and applications, which will be used during the FIFA World Cup event, were successful. "FIFA received great support from Avaya for the live simulation tests. We asked everyone to work many hours in order to not impact our testing. The support was much appreciated," said Gerard Gouillou, head of FIFA IT.

* To accommodate the huge number of users in the most cost effective manner, Avaya designed a series of separate virtual private networks (VPN) that were linked together to form the global VPN. Each sub-VPN serves as its own private tunnel through the Internet to deliver highly secure communications via s hared IP lines, rather than using more expensive private-line transmission.

* "The sub-VPNs combine into one large virtual network to link all the sites and systems," said Gardner. "This phased approach to the project allowed us to install, test and turn up each segment of the network on a timely basis to meet FIFA requirements."

* The VPNs are linked via a combination of Avaya Enterprise Class IP Solutions (ECLIPS) and multi-service networking products, applications and services. Avaya also established wireless local area networks (LANs) at each media center and both FIFA headquarters locations to accommodate the remote communications at the game sites.

* Journalists and FIFA officials can use Avaya-provided IP telephones to dial into the converged network from anywhere around the tournament via laptop computers to send files, manage e-mail, transmit faxes and simultaneously talk over wired or wireless connections.

* To provide the highest possible protection for the network, Avaya installed Secure Management Servers, IP Security client software and its most powerful firewall product, delivering a single platform for security management. Onsite systems were tied together via Avaya GigaSPEED cabling, optical fiber and Cajun backbone data switches, while Korea`s KT and Japan`s NTT long-distance network services were used to create the end-to-end global network.

* As the world`s most popular sporting event, the FIFA World Cup games are expected to attract millions of attendees and billions of viewers worldwide.