Cable & Wireless Plc announced yesterday that it will invest UKP1,000m over five years to become a major global player in intelligent network services aimed mainly at business users, who will be able to use it to help design their own communications systems wherever Cable & Wireless has operations – the Caribbean, Hong Kong, Europe, the Middle East, the US, Australia and former Soviet bloc countries; the initial stage will involve a UKP200m investment by Mercury Communications Ltd, which is spearheading the effort, in intelligent network kit that will serve as the first leg of a global grid; DSC Communications Corp, Plano, Texas is will supply intelligent network switches under a contract worth UKP17m in the first year; the other hardware vendors include Northern Telecom Ltd and GEC Plessey Telecommunications Ltd.
