On 22 September 2005, Ofcom enforced regulation requiring BT to open up its Digital Local Exchanges to allow other companies the opportunity to develop and deliver innovative new products through access to these exchanges. GemaTech used this opportunity to apply for access to two of BT’s London DLEs and has since been approved. Finer details of the Ofcom regulation are still under negotiation in which GemaTech has been invited to play an active part.
Through GemaTech’s DLE access, BT customers are now able to protect their mission critical incoming calls with a business continuity solution that is significantly cheaper than BT’s own solution, BT Commsure’s Rapid Divert product, enabling any size of business to retain voice communications should a disaster strike.
Graham Chick, Chief Executive, GemaTech, comments, “We have been working on gaining access to the local BT DLEs for a very long time with a view to securing the opportunity to offer an affordable business continuity solution to BT’s customers, so we are delighted that we can now do so for customers already identified in the Covent Garden and Baynard exchange areas as a first step. Consumers and businesses alike have come to depend on the telephone’s reliability without preparing for the consequences of any kind of telephone failure. Without access to a working telephone, the cost to any business is severe so investing in a cost effective, and now affordable, business continuity solution will enable every business to plan for “business as usual” following any outage.
GemaTech’s innovative Business Continuity Manager (BCMLITE) solution enables businesses of all sizes including call centre operators to instantaneously and seamlessly re-route all incoming calls directed to geographical numbers including on an individual DDI basis to any alternative location of their choice following the failure of their telecoms infrastructure for whatever reason - fire, flood, road works, or even as the result of a terrorist attack. Alternative locations can include recovery sites, branch offices, overseas offices, homes and mobiles.
Chick continues, “This is just the start. BT still has approximately 65% of the business market so this is a great opportunity for us to provide affordable business continuity to a large proportion of Corporate Britain. GemaTech will now be endeavouring to secure access to all of BT’s DLEs where BT customers wish to take advantage of GemaTech’s comprehensive, but affordable business continuity solution.”
GemaTech recently announced the formation of its strategic alliance with COLT Telecom enabling GemaTech to provide business continuity to COLT’s existing customers. Now with access to BT’s exchanges, GemaTech will be able to extend its offering to a much wider customer base - with negotiations with other Tier One carriers already underway.
Chick concludes, ”With only 33 percent of London-based medium sized companies having business continuity plans in place, and nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of mid-sized UK businesses making no provision for staff to work from home in the event of disruption or disaster, (according to a recent Poll commissioned by Cable and Wireless) the potential for GemaTech’s powerful and flexible BCMLITE product is huge - especially when the ability to work from home will become a necessity when planning for any kind of pandemic. Business continuity planning is an important part of the day job. Companies shouldn’t be complacent and investment shouldn’t be put off until next year, next month or even next week.”