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Lucent Technologies Partners with GRIC and Westcon to Offer All-in-One Internet Telephony Solution

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Lucent Technologies, a leading designer and developer of public and private networks, communications systems, and software, has teamed up with GRIC Communications, Inc. and Westcon, Inc. to offer a comprehensive Internet telephony solution to value-added resellers (VARs). This partnership aims to provide VARs with a total Internet telephony solution, enabling them to offer Lucent's PacketStar Internet Telephony System (ITS) and GRIC's prepaid VoIP phone card network and settlement system. Westcon, a value-added distributor of Lucent's data networking products, will offer the program through its Emerging Service Provider (ESP) Division, which assists VARs in building out next-generation networks that employ convergence technologies and enable revenue-generating services for Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

Key Takeaways:

  • Lucent Technologies, GRIC Communications, Inc., and Westcon, Inc. have partnered to offer an all-in-one Internet telephony solution to VARs.
  • The solution includes Lucent's PacketStar Internet Telephony System (ITS) and GRIC's prepaid VoIP phone card network and settlement system.
  • Westcon will offer the program through its Emerging Service Provider (ESP) Division, providing VARs with tools and solutions to enter the market from a position of competitive strength.
  • The partnership aims to enable ISPs to offer IP telephony services with minimum cost and risk, according to Chris Metaxas, Westcon's vice president of worldwide business development.
  • GRICprepaid provides real-time authentication, rating, voice response, and call termination via Lucent's PacketStar ITS.
  • The GRIC Alliance operates the largest PacketStar ITS network, with 71 installed worldwide.
  • Lucent is pleased to be bringing together GRIC and Westcon to start offering VARs unique VoIP solutions that help customers increase their revenue and reduce their long-distance charges.
  • The agreement gives GRIC prepaid extended worldwide distribution coverage through Westcon's VARs.
  • For VARs, GRIC prepaid is an excellent solution to offer customers looking to stay competitive in the rapidly growing phone card market.

Statistics:

  • 71 PacketStar ITS networks have been installed worldwide.
  • 140+ countries are covered by the GRIC Alliance Network.
  • 30 million dial-up users and an estimated 40 million corporate users are part of the GRIC Alliance's aggregate addressable subscriber base.
  • 4,000 dial access servers, 71 VoIP servers, 40 store and forward fax hubs, and five regional QoS network hubs are part of the GRIC Alliance.
  • Lucent has a wide range of public and private networks, communications systems, and software, as well as data networking systems, business telephone systems, and microelectronics components.

Sources:

  • M2 Communications LTD, M2 Presswire, "Lucent Technologies: Lucent Technologies teams with GRIC and Westcon to offer VARs all-in-one Internet telephony solution" (20 May 1999)
  • Lucent Technologies, "Lucent Technologies Press Release: Lucent Technologies Teams with GRIC and Westcon to Offer VARs All-in-One Internet Telephony Solution"
  • Westcon Group, Inc., "Westcon.com"
  • GRIC Communications, Inc., "GRIC.com"
  • M2 Communications, "M2 Presswire Terms of Use"

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