Tata Communications expands VPN services to Egypt
Business Standard — April 14, 2008

Tata Communications Ltd has announced the expansion of its Global VPN service to Egypt through a partnership agreement with TE Data SAE, a subsidiary of Telecom Egypt SAE and Egypt’s largest P-based data communications carrier. Tata Communications and TE Data have interconnected their respective MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) infrastructures, setting up multiple, redundant network-to-network interconnection (NNI) points between the two companies connecting Tata Communications’ European and Indian network hubs with TE Data’s facilities in Egypt in order to serve enterprise customers’ growing worldwide connectivity needs.

“Our agreement with TE Data is part of our larger MPLS expansion plan that will include other NNI agreements, as well as the expansion of Tata Communications international on-net, in key strategic regions and emerging markets that are of high value to our customers,” Genius Wong, senior vice-president, Global IP and VPN services, said.

Egypt’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth over the last five year has averaged at about 6 per cent mainly on expanding domestic demand. Egypt acts as a major gateway for trade with West Asia and North Africa due to the free trade agreement between 20 African countries -- COMESA. Following a 25 per cent year-on-year real increase in 2007, investments continue growing at full speed, surging by about 30 per cent year-on-year thus far in 2008. According to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), investments from India alone are expected to cross $1.5 billion by 2009.

The NNI agreement allows Tata Communications to seamlessly extend its current end-to-end service capabilities by incorporating the TE Data’s IP MPLS network footprint in Egypt, using more than 800 access points-of-presence. This will enable the Company’s VPN customers to benefit from superior connectivity to and from Egypt while experiencing the same security, redundancy and quality of service offered on the Tata Communications network.

This agreement is the latest in Tata Communications’ plans to continue to develop and expand its global coverage. Tata Communications already offers its MPLS services in almost 40 countries and expects to reach over 50 by the end of 2008. Tata Communications also offers extended reach to over 160 countries through its VNO Services division.