Accor extends its agreement with global Virtual Network Operator Vanco to deliver an MPLS-based Wide Area Network in Australia and New Zealand

SYDNEY, 16 May 2006 – Hotel group Accor has extended its WAN solution agreement with Vanco, the pioneering Virtual Network Operator, for another three years. Under the extended contract worth two million Australian Dollars, Vanco will transition Accor to a new network solution using MPLS to support future VoIP and e-banking services for 100 Accor hotels in Australia and New Zealand. Vanco also currently provides networking solutions to Accor in Europe.

Accor counts Sofitel, Mercure, Novotel, Ibis Formule 11, Mercure, Novotel, Ibis and the US chain Motel6 within its hotel group, and the underlying network infrastructure connects remote hotels to applications centralized in the Accor Head office. Vanco’s new solution delivers a 30 percent year one cost saving for Accor which includes both greater resilience in the core network, and increased capacity at remote locations.

The transition from Vanco’s IPSecureTM public IP product to Vanco’s trans-Tasman MPLS MatrixTM product integrates best of breed domestic (Australia and New Zealand) and international MPLS providers into a single managed network solution with seamless end to end class and quality of service. The migration to Vanco’s MPLS MatrixTM product has been further enhanced with more reporting functionality through Vanco’s reporting tool O-zone.

“Accor is in the process of upgrading its business applications and implementing Microsoft Active Directory. We are constantly looking for ways to use technology to improve our business. This network solution, provided by Vanco will not only provide us with the required infrastructure to support our current applications, but will provide the platform for future initiatives such as IP telephony and e-commerce,” explains Jacques Seidenberg, general manager Transversal Services, Accor Asia Pacific. “Vanco’s proven management capability coupled with a unique product offering provides Accor with a superior network solution.”

“Accor sought a service oriented partner to deliver a complete network solution and Vanco was the only provider with the required reach across both Australia and New Zealand,” says Grant Ellison, managing director Vanco Australasia. “The extension of the existing contract does much to illustrate our management and service strengths as well as the benefit of technological flexibility within the Virtual Network Operator model.”

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