ECI® Drives Network Transformation for Utilities Across Europe

PETACH TIKVA, Israel, September 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

ECI, a global provider of ELASTIC network® solutions for service providers, critical infrastructures, and data center operators, announced today the continued successes of its ElastiGRID™ solution for utilities and strategic industries. ECI is traditionally strong in this sector, but in the past year has been extremely successful in helping several large utilities across Europe update their legacy networks to modern, packet based solutions, which provide a robust and secure framework for the future.

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Utility customers around the globe are modernizing their networks, and turning to ECI as they phase out legacy telecommunications systems. ECI's scalable, modular architecture and flexible support of 'any technology mix' offer customers a customized, risk-free transition to modern networking that can last well into the future. This shift to network modernization and packet-based communication is due to four factors:

• Smart Grid and Efficiency Directives: As utilities begin to implement the EU's Energy Efficiency Directive and Horizon 2020 plans, they must put in place the infrastructure that will enable them to comply with the requirements
• Increased regulation: Utilities networks are mission-critical and face increasing regulations from government parties
• Security: Due to the more frequent and sophisticated cyber-attacks in the critical infrastructure sector, governments are increasing both the intensity and number of security requirements
• Support of next-gen, IP-based services: Utilities are looking for solutions that will allow them to support these new services with migration to packet
• Aging networks: Change is being spurred on by operational issues like spare parts and end of life (EOL) equipment as well as parts new applications and requirements

The transition to modern networking solutions is not as easy for utilities with many legacy systems and protocols in place. ECI's solutions ensure that legacy services, e.g. SCADA, continue to be transmitted natively, in line with industry recommendations. "Utility operational applications and substation assets have in general a much higher service lifetime than telecommunication services…., implementing a new communication infrastructure requires the ability to connect many generations of power system applications rendering legacy interfacing essential," the Cigre Green Book 2017 page 65-66.

"The ICT network in the utility sector has particular requirements, unlike those of communications service providers, which is why it's important that utilities choose a solution and approach that is tailored to their needs," said Jimmy Mizrahi, executive vice president, Global Portfolio at ECI. "With over 50 years of experience servicing hundreds of utilities around the world, we have fine-tuned our solutions to match the requirements of the sector - perhaps more so than any other vendor. ECI is in the best position to help clients through a future-proof transition to packet with our flexible solutions that are designed to painlessly facilitate the migration."

Companies who have implemented ECI's solutions recently include:

• Tasked with providing electricity across France, RTE chose ECI for a multi-million-dollar project to transport mission-critical applications in the carrier's high-voltage power environment. ECI's platforms support the carrier's nationwide utility network, Europe's largest, addressing the carrier's unique requirements for high quality of service, carrier-class capabilities and provisioning real-time, mission-critical applications throughout the network.
• E.on is one of the biggest energy providers in Germany, with more than 50,000 employees who are spread over four separate companies that service areas across the country. ECI, via its long-standing partner 3M Services, first started working with one of those companies, Bayernwerk, in 2016 to help it modernize its existing network platform, and is now expanding its role in helping other companies in the E.on network.
• AVU Netz GmbH, headquartered in Germany, is responsible for planning, construction and operating the country's electricity, gas, and water communications systems. The company previously utilized an SDH network that was operational for about 18 years. In the process of switching to MPLS with pure IP transport, AVU Netz chose to work with ECI, according to 3M Services, due to its price to performance ratio and for its future-proof technology.

In the last few months, ECI's success in this sector has been further validated by industry, including an UTC Impact award for best software, as well as being designated one of the 25 Best Utility Tech Vendors for 2017 by CIO Applications. For more information about ECI's ElastiGRID solution, and how you can get started on the path to an optimized utility network, please visit http://www.ecitele.com/industries/elastigrid/.

ECI will be exhibiting at European Utilities Week from October 3-5, 2017 in Amsterdam at booth 2A24.

About ECI   
ECI is a global provider of ELASTIC network solutions to CSPs, critical infrastructures as well as data center operators. Along with its long-standing, industry-proven packet-optical transport, ECI offers a variety of SDN/NFV applications, end-to-end network management, a comprehensive cybersecurity solution, and a range of professional services. ECI's ELASTIC solutions ensure open, future-proof, and secure communications. With ECI, customers have the luxury of choosing a network that can be tailor-made to their needs today while being flexible enough to evolve with the changing needs of tomorrow.

For more information visit http://www.ecitele.com.

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SOURCE ECI Telecom