CSCO: Airbus Takes Off with Cisco Unified Communications

Cisco® today announced that Airbus has completed deployment of a Cisco Unified Communications system to help improve collaboration, increase productivity and simplify its communications infrastructure, which will support 45,000 employees. The completion of the deployment marks the shipping of 12 million Cisco Unified IP Phones.

Airbus has migrated from a traditional private branch exchange (PBX) system to a fully IP-based telephony system, with 30,000 extensions in France and 10,000 extensions in the UK. Airbus is using Cisco Unified Communications Manager call-processing software to cover all sites. The contract to implement and manage Airbus' IP Communication over a five-year period was signed in 2005 by Orange Business Services, the communications service operator and integrator that represents the business communications solutions and services provided by France Telecom Group.

Cisco Unified Communications is helping Airbus extend consistent communication services to all employees working at Airbus campus locations in France and the UK. Orange Business Services took just nine months to install the central architecture following initial configuration and planning. The solution was rolled out at a rate of up to 600 phones a day, highlighting the speed and ease with which Cisco Unified Communications can be implemented.

"Effective communication systems that encourage collaboration between employees and help improve company efficiency are essential in helping us respond to growing customer demands," said Robert Louge, head of IT Projects, Airbus. "Cisco's solution has helped us improve communications, reduce our spending by simplifying our communications infrastructure and allowed us to make a quick and simple transition to an IP-based Unified Communications platform."

Chris Dedicoat, President, European Markets, Cisco, said: "Shipping our 12 millionth Unified IP Phone to Airbus highlights the speed at which Cisco Unified Communications is being adopted and the benefits it brings to customers. The system deployed by Airbus will help it meet the communication needs of a growing business, reduce costs and encourage collaborative working, which will help increase the productivity of its employees."

About Cisco Unified Communications
Cisco Unified Communications system is part of an integrated solution that includes network infrastructure, security, mobility, network management and lifecycle services. Cisco Unified Communications offers flexible deployment and outsourced management options, end-user and partner financing packages and third-party communications applications. For additional information on the entire Cisco Unified Communications family of products and applications visit: www.cisco.com/go/unified

About Airbus
Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. Airbus has delivered over 4,500 aircraft to more than 250 customers worldwide and boasts a healthy order book in excess of 2,500 aircraft for delivery over the coming years. With an annual turnover of around 26 billion euros in 2006, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China, Japan, Russia and the Middle East. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS company.

About Cisco Systems
Cisco, (NASDAQ: CSCO), is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com. Cisco equipment in Europe is supplied by Cisco Systems International BV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.