World`s fastest switch-router puts legacy and emerging services on common backbone, cutting operating costs up to 70%

Marconi, a global provider of advanced communications solutions, is unveiling today at CeBIT (Hall 15, Stand D14) the prototype BXR-48000 - the world`s-fastest hybrid switch-router. Service providers attending the event will be able to see first hand, how they could use this breakthrough solution to save between 50-70% of their operating costs. When deployed, the BXR-48000 will allow service providers to migrate their numerous legacy and emerging IP services onto one common, multi-protocol backbone, eliminating the need for costly, duplicate infrastructures.

The BXR-48000 has the ability to handle traffic of every major protocol in use on the world`s telecommunications networks - creating a smooth migration path to a single multiservice infrastructure with guaranteed delivery over packetised optical networks. It combines advanced optical transmission speeds with carrier-class packet switching intelligence.

Now in an advanced state of development, the BXR-48000 is due to begin trials later this year with commercial release expected to follow shortly after.

"The BXR-48000 will serve as the blueprint for 21st century switching and quickly become the lynchpin of the New Public Network," said Marconi Communications CEO, Mike Parton. "It offers service providers a true carrier-class solution that will deliver revenue-generating IP and legacy services over a single backbone like never before."

One of the most exciting capabilities of the BXR-48000 is its concurrent support of connectionless IP routing, MPLS (multi-protocol label switching) and ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) switching. This enables IP, frame relay, private line and ATM services to be engineered end-to-end over a high density, fully scalable and exceptionally reliable network.

The BXR-48000 is capable of handling up to 10,000 calls per second and 12 million simultaneous connections, supporting vast amounts of multimedia traffic including broadcast-quality audio and video, high-speed Internet access and predictable IP business services. Yet despite its immense power and versatility, the new device has an amazingly small footprint - being completely contained in a standard 23-in x 7-ft rack.

Key benefits for service providers include a quantum leap from today`s `best effort` deployment of connectionless IP and IP/MPLS networks to the `carrier class` standard which will enable them to increase their revenue streams by providing predictable IP services (such as Voice over IP, 3G mobile, IP virtual private networks and business-to-business e-commerce) without network congestion. Additionally, BXR-48000 can be used for edge aggregation - taking many individual slow connections and bringing them together before shipping off down a faster trunk - as well as switching and routing on metropolitan broadband access networks.

BXR-48000 is the latest breakthrough to emerge from Marconi`s global R&D effort in optical networking which has already seen the launch of the world`s first multi-channel tuneable laser as part of the SmartPhotoniX product portfolio which is also on show at CeBIT and includes optical switches, the ASX-4000 broadband edge switch, the IPN softswitch and DISC*S and AON broadband access platforms.

The BXR-48000 enables service providers to build intelligent packet-based networks that scale efficiently into the terabit range when deployed with Marconi`s SmartPhotoniX products, and also raises the bar on network reliability with features that support greater than 99.999% availability.

Marconi plc is a global communications and IT company with around 55,000 employees world-wide. Marconi has research and development facilities in 19 countries, manufacturing operations in 16 countries, and serves customers in over 100 countries. It supplies advanced communications solutions and the key technologies and services for the Internet. Marconi plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq under the symbol MONI.