Jan/Feb 2005

As the world admired the unveiling of Airbus Industries' giant A380 "double-decker" air liner, the organisation was also busy ensuring that its dispersed global staff could communicate more readily with each other when out in the field.

To coordinate global communications, it has appointed a single company, MCI, to handle both fixed and mobile technologies. This company will be providing a range of new all-digital Internet access services.

On the mobile side, these will include GSM and GPRS, plus hot-spot services such as Wi-Fi. On the fixed-line side, they will include "traditional" PSTN/ISDN telephone technologies as well as broadband (including DSL and LAN-to-LAN connectivity).

Initially, more than 5,000 field staff at of Airbus France will get immediate and direct access to the company's corporate network with security, supported by "tunnelling" technology and strong authentication. The service will then be extended to a further 3,000 employees in other countries.