Lucent Technologies appoints CCI as network partner

Lucent Technologies InterNetworking Systems Enterprise Division has appointed leading independent cabling company CCI Technology Holdings as a network partner. This makes CCI the first large South African cabling company to receive this status.

CCI has been a reseller and installer of Lucent`s SYSTIMAX SCS products for the past twelve months. The partnership with Lucent Technologies` InterNetworking Systems Enterprise Division will extend this agreement to incorporate the Cajun Campus Backbone and Workgroup switching product range and WAN access.

According to Steve Pinkney, CEO of CCI, the Lucent Technologies partnership will play a key role in CCI`s aim to offer clients a single, converged physical network solution incorporating data, voice, power and BAS/BMS (Building Automation & Management Systems). Realising a growing market need for such solutions, CCI recently expanded its well-regarded reticulation product and service offering to include INS (internetworking systems) and BAS/BMS. "The Lucent partnership will effectively position us to offer services across layers 2 and 3 of the OSI model, enabling CCI to offer clients a fully integrated physical networking solution," says Pinkney.

"Lucent Technologies holds a position of high credibility in the marketplace and, through the substantial R&D spend of Bell Laboratories, continuously develops best-of-breed products to keep pace with rapid technological advances. There are definite synergies between CCI and Lucent in offering physical end-to-end solutions and we will be able to explore these through this partnership," says Pinkney.

Angus Peacey, regional manager for sub-Saharan Africa for Lucent Technologies InterNetworking Systems Enterprise Division, comments, "CCI is able to add value to its customers in the networking space because of their experience gained as a Lucent Technologies GCM reseller. We look forward to their success as a networking partner."