Vanco to deliver a combined MPLS/IPSec solution to Gemplus, the worldwide chip card specialist

Vanco, the global Virtual Network Operator (VNO), today announces the signature of a multi-year contract worth an estimated US$4 million with Gemplus, the premier worldwide supplier of chip cards. Within the scope of this contract, Vanco will provide a combined MPLS and IPSec network to Gemplus, connecting about 50 sites in over 30 countries across five continents, including France, Germany, China, Thailand, several Middle East countries, Argentina, South Africa, Australia and the United States. Gemplus awarded Vanco the contract ahead of a number of international telecoms carriers.

“We wanted to entrust our broadband MPLS network and IPSec VPN access to a unique operator in order to reduce our costs and to benefit from a 24 x 365 support, maintenance and monitoring service in all countries, including those that are most complex. Our previous network was managed by several operators and providers, which prevented us from having a good visibility over incidents follow-up and resolution,” explains Arnaud Gut, Program Manager for Gemplus.

The new solution integrates part of the existing network solution, and incorporates an MPLS network connecting the four worldwide Gemplus platforms. Combined with IPSec access for remote sites, and with load sharing and redundancy between both networks, the solution will deliver excellent global network availability. Vanco’s unique solution will allow Gemplus to cut 30% off its network costs while ensuring a homogeneous and proactive service, up to 40 Mbps throughput, and end-to-end Quality of Service agreements.

Acting as a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for Gemplus, Vanco manages all of the carriers playing a part in the solution (over 40 worldwide), and involved technologies (Ethernet, wireless, xDSL, fibre optics) in complete transparency, within the scope of a totally flexible solution. “We worked closely with the Gemplus technical teams to ensure the best technological solutions for each site. This fully customised network meets the Gemplus requirements as accurately as possible and takes maximum advantage of reliable and proven technologies,” clarifies Stephane Caumont, Lead Technical Consultant at Vanco.

The solution is completely secure with firewalls and security policies proactively managed by Vanco, supported by contractual commitments based on several criteria defined by Gemplus. On top of this, through O-Zone, Vanco’s online network services portal, Gemplus has access to detailed, online, real-time reporting on all network elements.

“Thanks to its VNO business model, Vanco brought us the solution we were looking for, combining technological performance, commitments on Quality of Service and very significant network cost savings. We needed to rely on a trustworthy partner, who was able to guarantee access to cutting-edge technologies at the lowest cost, in each of the 30 countries where we are present. Vanco is this partner,” follows Nicolas Turin, Project Network and IT Security Manager for Gemplus.

“Companies have a growing interest in solutions combining several operators and technologies, allowing them the highest flexibility without the burden of managing multiple suppliers. Vanco has perfectly understood this need and the success we have today with leading international organisations proves it,” concludes Eric Havette, Managing Director for Vanco France.