The internet service provider (ISP), under Project Plexus, will increase the number of Ethernet, FTTC, FTTP, EFM and ADSL-enabled PoPs in BT exchanges by 48% by the start of next year and will add 20 PoPs in London alone, bringing its presence in the capital to 60.
“Zen’s expanded network has been designed and built to support the growth of the business and that of our corporate and mid-market customers, as well as bolstering our wholesale, channel and voice-based ambitions,” said Jon Bauer technical director at Zen.
“We are building a network that is ‘Fit for the Future’, and one which will support our customers’ future growth by delivering an ever wider portfolio of services. Carrier grade means customers can run their connectivity requirements on a network that has been tested and engineered to meet and exceed five nines high availability standards, with fast and automated fault detection, and recovery that can be achieved in milliseconds.”
The major expansion will spread Zen’s reach to over half a million postcodes, covering nearly every corner of the UK.
Bauer added: “Zen already has a reputation for reliability. When complete this major expansion will deliver even greater flexibility, giving us the performance and capacity to supply all the industry-leading services our customers demand today and will increasingly demand in the future.”
Cisco estimates that annual global IP traffic will pass the zettabyte (1,000 exabytes) threshold by the end of this year, and will reach two zettabytes a couple of years later. As companies demand ever-increasing amounts of data they will need more robust and affordable infrastructure to carry it. That, along with the increasing demand for bandwidth in homes across Britain, has fuelled Zen’s desire to further invest in its network, a company statement said.
