Global Crossing Expands Indirect Partner Program in Europe
25 July 2005
Naarden, The Netherlands -- July 25, 2005 -- Global Crossing (NASDAQ: GLBC) has signed nine partnership agreements with European operators for Fast-Track Services™, signaling rapid progress with the implementation of the company's indirect channel strategy in Europe.
Global Crossing Fast-Track Services™ enables service providers to offer end-to-end global data and converged solutions to their enterprise customers, while avoiding the high expense and long lead times generally associated with international service expansion.
Global Crossing European managing director, Pieter Duijves, said: "The rapid progress we've made since January with creating Fast-Track partnerships is a strong endorsement of our indirect channel strategy in Europe and indicates we have something unique to offer. Participating service providers have been quick to appreciate how the reach of our network and depth of Global Crossing's IP service portfolio can help them to satisfy their customers' international requirements."
"European service providers could really speed time to revenue by using Global Crossing's Fast Track offer," said Camille Mendler, research director at Yankee Group in Europe. "Fast Track is a unique combination of features including rapid delivery next-gen IP services on a truly global basis, as well as extensive management and integration capabilities to price, bid and deliver solutions according to enterprises' individual needs. It's a committed and structured approach to partnering that goes beyond a classic master services agreement - this is a new model, offering extensive online support tools, including ebonding."
Partners gain access to international connectivity to 500 cities for the delivery of IP VPN, dedicated Internet access, frame relay, ATM and international private line services. The Fast-Track Services portfolio will be expanded to include voice over IP and collaboration services.
One of Global Crossing's new partners is Linxtelecom, an international communications company offering quality solutions to carriers and operators connecting Russia, the Baltic States and Poland with the Nordics, Western Europe and the US.
"Fast-Track rapidly adds a new dimension to our international services capability with minimal investment," said Erik Jennes, executive vice president for marketing and sales, Linxtelecom. "Many of our enterprise clients have a high requirement for international connectivity. Using Global Crossing's reach and IP service capability, we can get to a greater number of global destinations without the complexity of negotiating agreements with multiple carriers around the world."
Global Crossing offers two go-to-market options: Global Crossing Signature Services™ and Global Crossing Alliance Services™. Signature Services allow service providers to market these network services under their own brand to their customers, while Alliance Services enable service providers to co-brand the network services with Global Crossing.
A strong feature of Fast-Track Services is global on-site support for installation, maintenance and trouble fixing of customer equipment. "We take the hassle out of delivering converged IP services across the world to 500 cities with a degree of flexibility few operators can match," added Duijves. "We will interconnect with partners in a way that optimizes their existing network topology and service requirements, allowing them to use Global Crossing for the parts they need to address new market opportunities."
The creation of a Fast-Track Services partner community in Europe is being replicated around the world. A total of 25 partnerships have been established in Latin America, the US, Canada, China and India, where Global Crossing interconnects with Sify, the country's premier Internet and network services provider.
A strong feature of Fast-Track Services is the automation of back-office systems. These have been designed to encapsulate all the information and processes a partner needs to respond quickly and efficiently to bids. Partners have access to a number of key pre- and post-sales systems to ensure information they need is kept up to date and is easy to access. The Fast-Track Partner extranet provides secure and unlimited access to sales and marketing information on product and services, pricing tools, network statistics, white papers, a proposal builder and promotions.
In addition, Global Crossing's Web-based account management tool, uCommand, can be rebranded and provided to partners' customers. uCommand is primarily a post-sales online tool that gives customers direct access to a wide range of information including product performance reporting, service ticket management, network visibility, account control and online invoices. Partners can use uCommand to price local loops, monitor the use of a customer's dedicated circuits and services, track the status of existing orders and use real-time network statistics to manage their customers' data networks.
About Global Crossing
Global Crossing (NASDAQ: GLBC) provides telecommunications solutions over the world's first integrated global IP-based network. Its core network connects more than 300 cities and 30 countries worldwide, and delivers services to more than 500 major cities, 50 countries and 6 continents around the globe. The company's global sales and support model matches the network footprint and, like the network, delivers a consistent customer experience worldwide.
