Redback scores Genuity edge deal

Despite a poor third quarter, Redback Networks is starting its fourth quarter off well. Today the vendor revealed a new contract with Genuity to deploy Redback’s SmartEdgeT 800 routers.

Genuity is deploying the edge aggregation routers in Europe. So far, the equipment has only been deployed in London. Genuity plans to use the equipment to deliver Gigabit Ethernet services to its international customers.

“They are deploying [the equipment] in Europe because that’s where the capex is currently,” said Shailesh Shukla, vice president of marketing for Redback. After the initial deployment in London, Genuity plans to extend the roll out to Europe and North America.

This deal isn’t the first between the two companies. Genuity currently has Redback’s SMS 1800s in its U.S. network. “They’ve been a customer of ours for a long time,” Shukla said.

The deal does however mark the first win with a U.S. provider for Redback’s new edge aggregation equipment. The previously announced customers for the SmartEdge routers are Pipex in Europe, Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom and China’s Shanghai Telecom.

Redback won the deal despite competitive bids from Cisco Systems and Juniper. “That’s a big deal because Cisco has the ability to bundle edge routing with a lot of other things,” said Shukla. Of added significance is that it represents what lies ahead for the company.

“We see future growth for us coming this,” Shukla said.

In late September, Redback’s CEO Kevin DeNuccio blamed the company’s poor quarterly sales on the SMS portfolio that was once its flagship product.

“Customers with the SMS [are] choosing to wait it out until we ship the new one,” DeNucchio said at the time, referring to the coming release of the next SMS product.