Luxury Auto Maker BMW Selects Sprint to Provide Network Services for Operations in the Americas
'Government Grade' Peerless IP Network, International Connectivity and Cisco Gear Highlight Multiyear Agreement
OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Dec. 6 -- Sprint today announced a new three-year, multimillion-dollar agreement with BMW Group Data Center Americas to provide data network services that will enable the automaker to connect its operations in North America, South America and Latin America. Sprint's data services will help provide secure and reliable network connectivity among BMW's 31 locations throughout the Americas, including BMW Manufacturing Co., BMW's only automotive factory in the United States.
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Under the agreement, Sprint will provide all data services to BMW Group in the Americas, including a highly secure peerless IP (Internet protocol) network. The government-grade peerless IP network is a solution originally aimed squarely at meeting the increasing security and performance demands of many federal and state government agencies. Already, the FBI, National Guard and other key agencies have implemented the peerless IP network. Now, Sprint business customers like BMW Group are increasingly attracted to this unique network architecture. The peerless IP product builds upon the exacting standards and performance levels of Sprint's Tier-1 IP backbone. Sprint was the first to offer such a solution to meet government-agency demands for a closed, native-IP intranet.
Sprint is also teaming with strategic alliance partner Cisco Systems to deliver advanced, high-speed data services through an IP Virtual Private Network (VPN).
"Network reliability and performance are critical to our ability to conduct business efficiently," said Danny Marzka, senior network engineer with BMW Group Data Center Americas. "Sprint not only offers the security of the peerless IP network, but also the breadth of services, network assets and relationships to meet our other communications needs. With Sprint, we found not only a reliable network provider but, just as important, an account team who was willing to work with us and get to know our business. Their technical expertise and flexibility were key components in our decision making."
The agreement also includes Internet private line services and high-speed Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) data services, which allow for both voice and data communications over a single, converged network.
"Sprint has built a specific competency around designing communications services for manufacturers," said Tom McEvoy, president - Enterprise Markets, Sprint. "We're focused on providing services that will help companies like BMW remain competitive in their industry and better serve their customers."
Sprint serves some of the top automobile, airline, industrial-equipment and consumer-products manufacturers in the world. Sprint has developed its "strategic connections" approach to the manufacturing market in order to help customers extract the most value out of their telecommunication infrastructure. This approach enables sharing information and insight across the entire value chain and includes a wide range of voice, data and wireless solutions.
Sprint is managing and maintaining Cisco equipment for BMW Group as part of the agreement. Sprint and Cisco maintain a strategic alliance that focuses on meeting customer needs for IP equipment and services through shared market research, joint development of new products and technologies, and joint sales and marketing.
"IP-based networking solutions are revolutionizing business operations across a broad spectrum of vertical industries," said Scott Westlake, manufacturing industry marketing manager, Cisco Systems. "We are very excited to be working with Sprint to build out a networking system that meets the specific automobile manufacturing needs of BMW. The Cisco products and technologies in this tailored solution will help improve business processes on a global basis for the company."
Sprint also provides industry-leading Service Level Agreements (SLAs), including jitter SLAs. Jitter is a variation in latency, or waiting time, on a network and is very important for corporations who rely on data networks for their business.
In May, Sprint announced that BMW Group was utilizing its high-speed wireless technology to connect portable kiosks to promote its new X3 Sports Activity Vehicle. The portable kiosks utilize Sprint PCS Connection Cards(TM) by Sierra Wireless, allowing them to connect a network without the need of a landline connection.
About Sprint
Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With more than $26 billion in annual revenues in 2003, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and an award- winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local communications services in 39 states and the District of Columbia and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.sprint.com/ .
About BMW Group
BMW Group currently has 23 production and assembly locations in 14 countries, sales subsidiaries throughout the world and in the Americas, the South Carolina manufacturing facility and sales, marketing and financial services operations in the United States, Canada and throughout Latin America.
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