Telecommunications Plc has underlined its competitive procurement policy by ordering its first ever exchange from Northern Telecom Inc, a DMS-300 SuperNode. The decision to opt for Northern Telecom will come as a shock for GEC Plessey Telecommunications Ltd, L M Ericsson AB and AT&T Co, British Telecom’s existing suppliers, all of whom have switches comparable with the DMS-300. British Telecom’s choice was based primarily on the Canadian company’s record of software development, though price and delivery were also important considerations. Northern Telecom says that British Telecom will, as a result of the order, lead European PTTs in meeting ISOP and CEPT ISDN standards; it even envisages continental European organisations, wishing to use ISDN communications across national boundaries, communicating through British Telecom’s new switch. The Northern Telecom gateway will enable users to set up digital communications paths of 64Kbps. British Telecom would say only that the order was worth several millions of pounds, while the three companies are refusing to comment on the number of lines that will be supported by the switch, to be installed in mid-1990. The contract was won through the Digital Switching Division of STC Plc, in which Northern Telecom has a 27.5% stake, and takes STC back into the digital telephone exchange business it was forced to vacate when the number of System X suppliers was scaled back to two from three, and GEC Plc and Plessey Co were the preferred two.
