Irish-based business process and workflow specialist Singularity has been chosen by UK telecoms company Unicom to connect them to the new wholesale backbone network OpenReach.
OpenReach is a new offshoot of BT, formed in response to the UK communications regulator OfCom’s stipulation that the company must open its wholesale services to independent operators like Unicom, as laid out in the Telecommunications Strategic Review.
Unicom, with a staff of 200 worldwide, provides telecommunications services to over 60,000 small businesses all over the UK.
The company will be able to access OpenReach’s backbone through its existing services by using a new standard called Wholesale Line Rental 3 (WLR3), replacing the old WLR2 standard that communication providers were forced to use to connect to BT’s wholesale network.
As of this year, OpenReach has been asking all independent telcos using its services to migrate to the new standard before the original one is phased out, ensuring “equivalence of input” across all networks and BT itself.
Singularity was chosen to provide this service for Unicom based on its previous track record in working on projects for BT and JPMorgan.
“Singularity demonstrated they are a clear leader in WLR3 integration with work they have already completed for the UK’s largest telecom provider,” said Chris Earle, operations director, Unicom.
“Unicom will be one of the first communications firms to adopt WLR3. By choosing Singularity’s solution we will be able to compete with BT on an equal basis for the first time and offer a superior service and product to our customers”, he added.
By Marie Boran
