1

21CN – Pathfinder programme overview

Dave D’Arcy & Bob Corner

BT Wholesale

The dates and other information about BT's 21CN programme in this presentation are based on the best information currently available. As in any programme of this size and complexity, they may be subject to change

2

Introduction

• The purpose of this presentation is to explain the 21CN Pathfinder approach:– What is Pathfinder and why are we doing it– Approach to Pathfinder and timescales– The consultation approach– What’s coming next

• The intended audience is:– Communication providers (CPs) and resellers.

3

Pathfinder

Sparking the future for BTYn tanio dyfodol BT

4

How did we get here?

• On Tuesday 28 November 2006, BT made communications history when the transfer of the first customer lines to its new next generation network began at Wick in the Vale of Glamorgan.

• To reach this important milestone BT has already:– re-built around ten per cent of the UK's core national

communications infrastructure

– installed 21CN equipment at over 100 sites across the UK

– laid more than 2,300 kilometres of new fibre optic cable in South Wales

– invested more than 1,500 man years in developing new IT systems to support the new network.

5

21CN - evolution

21CN

IP-MPLS-WDM

DSL

Fibre &Copper

Copper

Agg Box

EndUser

~5.5ksites

~100sites

Class 5 Call Server

Content

WWW

ISP

Multi-service access Converged core

Current thinking. No implementation assurances

Wireless

IP

ATM

PSTN

DPCN

PDH

EndUser

~5knodes

~2knodes

~400nodes

~100nodes

~15nodes

SDH - mesh

~1knodes

SDH - MSH

DSL

KiloStream

PSTN

Fibre

Copper

DWSS

ASDH

CWSS

IP

ATM

PSTN

DPCN

PDH

EndUser

~5knodes

~2knodes

~400nodes

~100nodes

~15nodes

SDH - mesh

~1knodes

SDH - MSH

DSL

KiloStream

PSTN

Fibre

Copper

DWSS

ASDH

CWSS

Today

A single network that’s physically simpler and more reliable than our existing, complex infrastructure could ever be.

Up to 50 per cent fewer components in terms of switches, hubs, routers and suchlike.

We will be able to deliver the next generation of converged services faster, more efficiently and more cost-effectively than ever before.

6

Consult21 Objectives

•• Ensure industry is aware of the 21CN vision and BT’s progress towards it.

•• Achieve a shared understanding with Industry.

•• Ensure industry has an opportunity to input to 21CN development.

Awareness, Engagement, Influence

7

BilateralMeetings

Consult 21Working Groups

BT 21CN Programme

Consult21 (Industry) Steering Board

21CNPlan

Systems & Processes

Network Structure

Conformance testing

Implementation & Migration

Communications

Interconnect & Portfolio Point to Point

Broadband Line Access

Industry linkages

8

Consult21 Structure

Systems & Processes

Network Structure

Implementation & Migration

Communications

Interconnect & Portfolio

Point to Point

Broadband Line Access

Wo

rkin

g G

rou

p M

ana

gem

ent

STEERING BOARD

Exp

ert

Gro

ups

9

What is Pathfinder?

• A chance to start small & build to a scaleable national solution (in phases).

• A chance to start early, prove & then review before National Migration from 2008.

• Cardiff = a good mix of– Business / Residential

– City / Rural

– POTS / ISDN2 / ISDN30 / BB

– Approx 1/80th of the UK

10

Approach to Pathfinder

• A comprehensive trial and testing programme is underway.

• More than half a million tests were conducted in the countdown to the first phase of end user migration.

• BT will migrate around 350,000 customer lines in the South Wales area, including many served by other telephone and internet service providers and mobile operators.

• Cardiff and the surrounding area was chosen for the first stage of 21CN implementation because the area's demographics are also representative of the UK market and critically, BT's customer base.

11

Approach to Pathfinder

• BT will be replacing nine digital local exchanges in the area and each one will take approximately 20,000 man hours to complete - the equivalent of almost 94 years for one of our skilled engineers to complete on his/her own!

• BT estimates 1,100 man days are required for operational readiness and provision of the necessary operational links for communications providers' migration in this area.

• The experience and customer feedback from the first mass customer migration project will help BT finalise plans to roll out

12

Approach to Pathfinder

There are three phases to the Cardiff upgrade.

• The first, which involves upgrading voice services to around 1,200 customer lines, kicked off in November 2006.

• Phase two is planned for July and August 2007, when a further 58,000 lines will be upgraded.

• Finally, by the end of 2007, we will have upgraded all 350,000 PSTN customer lines in Cardiff and the surrounding area.

13

Pathfinder is Focusing on -

• Migrating 350,000 customer lines

• Replacing 9 digital local exchanges

• Installing new equipment in over 70 technical centres

Pontypridd

Cowbridge

Wick

Llantwit Major St Athan

Bonvilston

RhooseBarry Sully

PencoedLlantrisant

Peterston-S-Ely

Cardiff

Culverhouse

DinasPowys

Porthcawl

Pentyrch

Tonyrefail

OgmoreValley

Pontycymmer

Maesteg

Aberkenfig

Bridgend

Southerndown

TreorchyFerndale

Kenfig Hill

NewtownLlantwit

Llanrumney

RoathLlandaff

Radyr

Taffs Well

Nelson

Porth

Tonypandy

Mountain Ash

Caerphilly

Treforest

Llanishen

Whitchurch

Hengoed

BargoedBedlinog

Ynysowen

Treharris

Abercynon

Ynysybwl

Senghenydd

Penarth

Llanedeyrn

Customer migration boundary

The UK Network build is being built in parallel with Pathfinder (over 400 sites), in readiness for migration at the end of Pathfinder.

In the Pathfinder area, we will be deploying MSANs at 51 sites, 3 Metro Nodes and 1 Core I-node, together with its supporting 21CN transmission network in a further 20 sites.

A closer look….

14

Timetable update: South Wales

Apr/May/June 07 July/Aug/Sept 07 Oct/Nov/Dec 07 Jan to June 08

Wick andBedlinog for

voice (non ISDN)

Migration of voice (non ISDN) on

next 12 concentrators(58,000 lines)

Migration of voice (non ISDN) on

next 55 concentrators(290,000 lines)

BroadbandMigration trial

in West Midlands

July to Dec 08

South Wales Industry review period

ISDN2 & 30Migrations

ISDN Trials

15

Timetable update: Overall programme

First stage of migration for POTS

(South Wales)

2007/08* 2008/09* 2009/10* 2010/11* 2011/12*

National Migration Begins

(Broadband lines initially)

National Migration(Voice, Broadband and ISDN)

National migration

(voice, non

ISDN)

New enhanced testing capability available for industry service testing

ISDN 2and

ISDN 30(South Wales)

* Periods indicated are financial years, April to March.

16

Our goal = seamless customer transfer to 21CN

Generic migration process

Transfer completion

Configure and verify

Prepare the network

On the night migration Monitor

Frames Cleansed

Data Audited

Frame preparation

From 36 to 12 weeks

prior

Connect to 21CN

Data Extracted

Transform

Load

Pre-transfer Testing

From 12 weeks prior

Cutover to 21CN

Data Activation

Call Re Routing to

21CN

On the night

Post transfer tests &

monitoring

Up to 7 days after

17

Consultation Approach

Consult Line Migration

eg Pathfinder Review

• Review TE methods and migration processes

• Assess the impact

• On end users

• BAU fulfilment /assurance processes

• Identify information and tools required to manage these impacts

• BT carry out a carefully designed migration in line with a published plan

• CP’s manage their customers through the migration in line with policies they have created

• BT/CPs verify the migration process was carried out as expected

• BT/CPs identify gaps

• CP’s to review their processes/policies

• CP’s identify any refinements to their processes/policies

National Migration

18

Organisational Learning

• We don’t expect everything to run smoothly throughout Pathfinder!

• We’d much rather identify the problems, issues and bottlenecks now than during National Migration.

• After each phase of Pathfinder we will review what we did and how we did it.

• BT will conduct these reviews both internally and with CPs.

• BT will use the output of these reviews to improve the processes that we follow in subsequent migrations where possible.

19

Web callsPrevious calls – material available via Consult21 site

18 April Product retirements

24 April 21CN overview

2 May Migration process

22 May CPE compatibility testing programme

31 May Switched-on communications campaign

20 June Pathfinder programme overview

Forthcoming calls

9 July Preparing for Pathfinder

TBA Broadband migration programme

27 Sept Migration portal overview

Industry invited to suggest topics of interest …

20

21

SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATION

• Information and support for communication providers on the 21CN programme:

http://www.btwholesale.com/consult21

• The independent public information website covering the process of migration:

http://www.switchedonuk.org

• For general information about BT’s 21CN programme go to:

http://www.btplc.com/21CN/

22

Answers

Questions