Lucent launches new VoIP platform, signs Qwest

Lucent Technologies today announced a three-year agreement with Qwest Communications to provide softswitches and related technology from its newly unveiled Accelerate portfolio.

As part of the contract, Qwest will replace some of its existing class five switches with Lucent's 5E-XC switch. Additionally, the carrier has committed to using Lucent’s new media gateway as part of an effort to move toward softswitch control of its local networks.

"At the end of the day, the Qwest network will have a lot fewer switches," said Roger Heinz, vice president of Lucent’s convergence solutions business unit.

Though financial terms of the deal were not released, the contract marks a significant transition for Qwest, which in the past has been toying with several VoIP models. It also comes at a time when vendors are finding they have to focus not just on cutting cost but also on providing a roadmap to new services, Heinz said.

"Unless we can deliver new revenue, the opex and capex savings just don’t do it," he said.

As part of Lucent’s Accelerate program, the company is opening up to outside developers, a move that is not atypical for a softswitch vendor. However, the company also is integrating some widespread applications it feels well suited to provide, such as messaging with the AnyPath platform.

"Over time, the applications that we feel are predominant enough we’ll write ourselves," Heinz said.