MIAL chooses Nortel to set up networks

New Delhi, Sept 11 (UNI) Mumbai International Airport Private Ltd (MIAL) has chosen Nortel to build one of the most extensive and comprehensive IP communications networks ever deployed by an international airport in the country.

Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA), managed by MIAL, plans to consolidate the majority of its data, telephony and video systems onto a converged wired and wireless IP-based network, powered by Nortel Enterprise Solutions and its innovative Metro Ethernet-based Provider Backbone Bridging (PBB) and Provider Backbone Transport (PBT) technologies.

As a long term technology partner to MIAL, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will provide systems integration for the converged triple-play communications upgrade project.

A joint venture between the GVK-SA consortium and Airports Authority of India, MIAL was awarded a 30-year contract to modernise, operate and maintain CSIA in April 2006.

When completed, the new wired and wireless infrastructure will provide network coverage throughout the airport terminal buildings and outside maintenance areas.

Passengers, airline staff, retailers, security and airport operations employees will benefit from a variety of airport-wide WiFi and VoIP services.

A key element of the new infrastructure is a 10G DWDM fiber-optic backbone designed by Nortel to cost-effectively leverage optical networking technology to enable super-fast gigabit Ethernet and storage connectivity.

This approach is expected to help significantly reduce capital expenses, while simplifying network management and optimisation.

Nortel's Metro Ethernet-based PBB/PBT technologies will be used to provide VPN and point-to-point Ethernet transport services for the airlines.

PBT is a Nortel innovation that marries carrier-grade reliability and ease of management with the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of Ethernet to provide a high-bandwidth network with great efficiency and control.

Airport operations and customer service personnel will be enabled to experience increased productivity by leveraging unified communications capabilities such as SIP-based presence, IM, collaboration, conferencing and messaging.

These advanced communications services will simplify the way people connect and communicate across the expansive airport area helping reduce cost of operations and equipping staff to respond more quickly to customer needs. The solution includes the implementation of a new emergency notification system for public safety.

''This overhaul is part of MIAL's long-term programme aimed at expanding the capacity at CSIA and making communications as seamless as possible for anyone who visits or works at the airport,'' said GV Sanjay Reddy, Managing Director, MIAL.

''The Indian aviation industry is poised for huge growth and to support such dramatic growth, the airport infrastructure needs to be scalable, resilient and future proof,'' said Ravi Chauhan, Managing Director, Nortel India.

CSIA is the country's busiest airport, having catered to 22.2 million passengers and 4,80,000 tonnes of cargo in 2006-07.

MIAL's vision is to transform CSIA to one of the world's best airports that consistently delights customers and be the pride of Mumbai.

UNI