South Africa’s Neotel Launches MPLS, IP, IPLC and Ethernet Services to facilitate region’s telecom growth

Tata Communications announced the further expansion of its network reach into Africa through an arrangement with Neotel, which is South Africa’s first converged communications network operator.

The South African government and business process outsourcing (BPO) industry has invested a tremendous amount of time and effort in positioning the country as a preferred BPO or contact centre destination. This could soon become a reality with the announcement of a new multi-service Point of Presence (PoP) which has been established in Johannesburg by Tata Communications in association with Neotel. Neotel has been delivering world-class voice and data services since 2006. The service portfolio consists of high-speed internet, VPN, network management, and hosting services to customers in South Africa.

The new multi-service Point of Presence (PoP) established in Johannesburg, South Africa, seamlessly integrates with Neotel’s next generation network and IP/MPLS infrastructure for onward national and regional connectivity.

The new PoP offers MPLS, Ethernet, IP and International Private Leased Circuit (IPLC) services, connecting through Tata Communications’ global network to over 600 cities in 50 countries and onwards to customers in over 200 countries. Tata Communications owns and operates one of the world’s largest private sub-sea cable networks, enabling flexible, scalable end-to-end solutions backed by strong Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and delivering service to over 1,600 wholesale and 10,000 enterprise customers.

Stefano Mattiello, Executive Head of Enterprise Group, Neotel said, “Neotel is driven to redefine the South African telecommunications market with cost effective, unconventional solutions and worldwide connectivity. By launching this multi-service PoP to connect to Tata Communications’ global network, we will leverage their extensive telecoms expertise to bring international standard services to South Africa, while at the same time provide South Africa with much-wanted bandwidth“

Customers in South Africa can now access Tata Communications’ full global suite of products, including solutions for voice and data connectivity, managed security services, application traffic optimization and management, managed storage and hosted applications, collaboration services, server management, co-location and content distribution.

“This is another step forward in our commitment to expand Tata Communications’ global footprint and deliver unparalleled global network reach for our industry-leading voice and data services,” commented Claude Sassoulas, Managing Director, Europe & Africa - Global Data Solutions, Tata Communications. “The bandwidth flexibility and reach we can now offer with our Ethernet and VPN services give our customers the ability to connect all their South African offices in a much more cost-effective fashion. Additionally our investment in the Seacom cable in this region, shows our commitment to support our customers as they expand into this region”

Tata Communication plans to continue to extend its global presence, with a focus on emerging markets in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, South America and South East Asia. Recent additions to the network footprint include China, Egypt, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

About Tata Communications

Tata Communications Limited (NYSE: TCL), along with its global subsidiaries (Tata Communications) is a leading global provider of the new world of communications. The company leverages its Tata Global Network, vertical intelligence and leadership in emerging markets to deliver value-driven, globally managed solutions to the Fortune 1000 and midsized enterprises, service providers and consumers.

The Tata Communications portfolio includes transmission, IP, converged voice, mobility, managed network connectivity, hosted data center, communications solutions and business transformation services to global and Indian enterprises and service providers, as well as broadband and content services to Indian consumers. The Tata Global Network encompasses one of the most advanced and largest submarine cable networks, Tier-1 IP network, and connectivity to more than 200 countries across 300 PoPs, and more than 1 million square feet of data center space. Tata Communications serves its customers from its offices in 80 cities in 40 countries worldwide. Tata Communications has a strategic investment in South African operator Neotel.

The number one global international wholesale voice operator and number one provider of international long distance, enterprise data and Internet services in India, the company was named “Best Wholesale Carrier” at the World Communications Awards in 2006 and was named the “Best Pan-Asian Wholesale Provider” at the 2007 Capacity Magazine Global Wholesale Telecommunications Awards for the second consecutive year.

Now the leading integrated provider to drive and deliver a new world of communications, Tata Communications became the unified global brand for VSNL, VSNL International, Teleglobe, Tata Indicom Enterprise Business Unit, and CIPRIS on February 13, 2008.

Tata Communications Limited is a part of the $29 billion Tata Group; it is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India and its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: TCL).

For more information, please visit their website:

http://www.tatacommunications.com

About Neotel:

Neotel is South Africa’s first converged communications network operator. It

provides a range of value-added voice and data services for businesses,

wholesale network operators and providers and consumers using its pure-IP Next

Generation Network, powered by Neotel’s high-performance fibre optic backbone.

Neotel connects the major centers in South Africa to each other and to the world,

directly linking the country into Tata Communications’ global Tier 1 network. Neotel

offers fresh thinking, a creative approach and flexible solutions for communications

in South Africa.