Under the seven-year contract, Global Crossing will provide a fully managed, terrestrial and satellite IP-based network connecting more than 7,000 users at 260 offices in 110 countries.

Now in its 70th year, the British Council is implementing a new global network to enable the organization to broaden its influence as the world's largest international cultural relations organization.

Under its Strategy 2010, the British Council will extend services to millions more people and improve the way in which knowledge is shared globally, including services such as Internet and e-mail access, large file transfers, content distribution and videoconferencing.

The British Council is a registered charity whose aim is to stimulate and promote cultural relations and educational partnerships between the UK and the rest of the world.

Through the promotion of the UK as a dynamic, multicultural nation, the council fosters international relations and economic relationships.

"We are delighted the British Council has chosen Global Crossing for this ambitious project. It underscores the strength of our global network and our expertise in the design and implementation of complex, fully managed global communications systems," said Global Crossing CEO, John Legere.

"Global Crossing's suite of fully interoperable, converged IP solutions deliver worldwide QoS and security for a consistent, reliable and secure experience, globally."

The first phase of the network will be rolled out in April in India, Sri Lanka, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. These countries are being used as early implementations for the new Finance and Business System (FABS). The entire network is expected to take two years to commission.

British Council finance director, Margaret Mayne said: "Today's signing marks a new chapter for the British Council. It will enable us to compete in the global e-market and better serve the interests of millions of our customers worldwide."

One objective of Strategy 2010 is to be accessible to many more people online and through a range of media. A modern communications system with guaranteed service levels will allow the British Council to pursue its charter to be a world authority in cultural relations and English language teaching.

Global Crossing's fully managed, terrestrial and satellite IP-based network provides the British Council with the infrastructure it needs to increase income from paid services, notably teaching and examinations.

At the same time, it will enable the organization to become more efficient and effective, enabling the implementation of new IT systems, including FABS, which will generate information and analysis to help prioritize activities at a local, regional and global level.

The more resilient IP communications platform will assist the British Council in creating stronger regional structures around the world, giving more people - national and British staff - leadership roles that cover a number of countries.

Quality of service was a major consideration for the British Council given that clients' first contact with the organization is usually via the Internet.

Millions of students around the world use the British Council Web site to register for English language exams.

With traffic running over Global Crossing's private backbone rather than the public Internet, the public will experience an appreciable improvement in quality of service.

Differentiated class of service also ensures that bandwidth is appropriately allocated for applications such as videoconferencing and FABS.

In rolling out the network, Global Crossing will maximize the unique reach of its global network, using satellite for local access in remote and under-developed regions of the world where infrastructure is inadequate or unreliable.

Global Crossing owns and operates two satellite earth stations, one in Canberra, Australia, and another in Hampshire in the UK.

Global Crossing will also be able to meet the British Council's seasonal peaks in demand, generated in part by student registration and examinations. During 2003 and 2004, the charity taught English to more than 500,000 people, with an average of 120,000 students enrolled at any time in its 126 teaching centers.

In the same period, it administered 1.15 million professional and academic exams.

This is the latest global connectivity project to be awarded to Global Crossing in the government sector. Global Crossing operates a worldwide network for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, extending to 240 posts in 140 countries.

The FCO's secure, global, managed IP VPN has transformed working practices for more than 14,000 users worldwide.

British Council's data and video traffic is transported over Global Crossing's secure, privately owned and operated MPLS-based IP backbone, which is physically separate from the public Internet for greater security and reliability.

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