SOFIA , Bulgaria , July 30, 2002 - Cisco Systems today announced that it had been selected by United Bulgarian Bank, Bulgaria's third-largest bank, as the technology provider for a project to cut costs by migrating all voice calls from the bank's traditional private branch exchanges (PBXs) to an IP platform.

The move will allow UBB to carry voice traffic over its Cisco converged voice and data network, replacing the various PBX systems with IP Telephony thereby avoiding the cost of maintaining and support two separate networks across its 130 branches around the country. Elsewhere, the bank is looking at other uses for its IP network, including credit card authorisation.

"We have a relationship with Cisco Systems, through its premier certified partner Paraflow, that goes back more than 10 years," said Svilen Ivanchev, IT director of UBB. "After testing the IP telephony technology, with a high level of input from the Cisco team, we were totally convinced it would save us money and reduce our operational costs."

UBB's IP telephony infrastructure comprises a Cisco CallManager software application that enables the bank s Cisco 3600 router-based network to carry voice calls via virtual IP PBXs around the country, plus 120 IP telephones and Unified Messaging provided by Cisco Unity. In addition the bank is upgrading their existing LAN to handle the integrated voice, video and data applications with Cisco's Catalyst 3524-PWR.

Michael Ansley, Head of Voice Technologies, Cisco Systems EMEA, said: "We are proud of this IP telephony installation, which is the largest we have seen in Bulgaria to date. UBB is setting the pace for implementing advanced technology solutions to realise greater business benefit, and obtain a truly competitive position in their market."

It has proved once more that this technology can offer cost benefits and reliability that make it an unbeatable proposition to finance businesses and, indeed, other industries."