VoIP network allows bank to offer more flexible services

Bank to replace legacy phone and data systems

Alliance & Leicester (A &L) is to replace its telecommunications infrastructure with a single voice and data network as part of a major transformation project.

The bank has signed a five-year deal with BT to replace its disparate voice and data systems with a single converged network in a phased implementation throughout 2007.

A&L announced earlier this month that it is to renew its core banking systems over the next three years.

Darren McKenzie, the bank’s chief technology officer, says the new network infrastructure will deliver significant benefits.

‘A converged voice and data infrastructure will allow us to be more responsive to organisational needs, significantly cut costs and enable new services across our whole enterprise,’ said McKenzie.

The network will allow the bank to transfer calls across its branches and call centres using voice over IP (VoIP).

McKenzie expects A&L to see a return on its investment well within the five years. ‘This new infrastructure will be ahead of the technologies used by our customers, and as those technologies become mainstream we will be in a greater position to take advantage of it,’ he said.

‘It is not the traditional technology-led initiative, it is a strategic investment for us and will shift the way we do business,’ said McKenzie. ‘The challenge is our target of absolutely no disruption, and with a phased approach and a proven methodology I really don’t see a risk,’ he said.

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