What will the network 'look like' in terms of infrastructure?
The new network will be comprised of very high-capacity routers connected together by an advanced optical network. BT will build - in the UK and throughout the markets we serve - an advanced broadband network based on intelligent systems, Ethernet, IP and MPLS.
What will be different about 21CN in comparison to today's networks?
21CN is the world’s leading software-driven customer network. It enables the customisation of services world wide by software-driven innovation - all under customer control.
The end-to-end Internet Protocol (IP)-based infrastructure consolidates complex network platforms into a simpler, but more powerful, single network.
What’s the scope of 21CN?
To meet the needs of all BT’s customers - both today and in the future - the scope of 21CN has been expanded and now includes:
How is 21CN different from internet VoIP services like Skype and BT Broadband Voice?
While 21CN will run voice calls over an IP network and therefore use VoIP technology, the big difference is that BT's 21CN network does not use the public internet but rather its own dedicated infrastructure. While internet-based VoIP services offer no guarantee that voice conversations will take priority over other traffic and be transmitted across the network smoothly, calls over BT's dedicated IP infrastructure ensure that voice traffic is prioritised and that a standard quality of service is maintained. In 2009 we expect to introduce an integrated voice and broadband service and a hi-definition voice service in the UK.