|
Global Crossing Celebrates 30 Years of Answering 999 Emergency Calls With the Rail Community
- An average of 3,500 calls handled per month.
- 64,000 exchange lines served.
Crewe and Glasgow - September 7, 2007 -- Global Crossing (NASDAQ: GLBC), a leading global IP solutions provider, on Wednesday marked a significant milestone - the 30th anniversary of answering 999 emergency calls for the rail community in Great Britain. Global Crossing's subsidiary in the United Kingdom (GCUK) handles an average of 42,000 calls a year through Centralised Telephone Operator Service (CTOPS).
CTOPS is a UK located call reception service which operates 24 x 7 and enables all external calls to a number nominated by the customer (usually a switchboard) to be routed to an off-site central operator for answering.
GCUK is one of only four Call Handling Agents (CHAs) in the country to be able to answer emergency calls and has a proud heritage of consistent delivery to the rail community. Typically, calls are initiated by rail workers regarding train lines, service and platform issues such as passenger injuries that occur on platforms or tracks.
Members of the public also use the service from "help points" on station platforms. Global Crossing employees take the initial call and redirect through an automated system to the relevant service and geographic region.
"The emergency call service is a little known part of the Global Crossing customer experience -- one at which we excel," said Anthony Christie, Global Crossing's executive vice president and managing director, Global Crossing, EMEA. "We're continuing to invest in the service and plan on launching the CTOPS 2 platform by the end of this year, in compliance with the new code of practice from the 999 liaison committee."
The emergency call service was introduced on September 5, 1977, with the first call received at Melbury House in Marylebone, London. Global Crossing took on the contract, originally held by British Rail Telecommunications, through a series of acquisitions in the region. Regular, stringent audits ensure that the service is running efficiently.
CTOPS is a value-added service that can be used by any customer and is particularly well used by customers in government departments. For example, the prisons service, which has a need for 24 x 7 coverage - but also has a policy of not disclosing private, home or mobile numbers - uses CTOPS for answering after-hour calls. It can also help users cut costs by eliminating the need for full-time receptionists.
Christie concludes, "With 64,000 exchange lines relying on our specialist operators, CTOPS and Global Crossing together are literally contributing to saving lives every day."
ABOUT GLOBAL CROSSING
Global Crossing (NASDAQ: GLBC) provides telecommunications solutions over the world's first integrated global IP-based network. Its core network connects more than 320 cities in 31 countries worldwide, and delivers services to more than 600 cities in 60 countries and 6 continents around the globe. The company's global sales and support model matches the network footprint and, like the network, delivers a consistent customer experience worldwide.
Global Crossing IP services are global in scale, linking the world's enterprises, governments and carriers with customers, employees and partners worldwide in a secure environment that is ideally suited for IP-based business applications, allowing e-commerce to thrive. The company offers a full range of data, voice and security products to approximately 40 percent of the Fortune 500, as well as 700 carriers, mobile operators and ISPs. Its Professional Services and Managed Solutions provide VoIP, security and network consulting and management services to support its Global Crossing IP VPN service and Global Crossing VoIP services. Global Crossing was the first -- and remains the only -- global communications provider with IPv6 natively deployed in both its private and public backbone networks.
Please visit www.globalcrossing.com or blogs.globalcrossing.com for more information about Global Crossing.
###
Statements in this press release about expected future events and financial results are forward-looking and subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially, including risks referenced from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Global Crossing undertakes no duty to update information contained in this press release or in other public disclosures at any time.
CONTACT GLOBAL CROSSING:
Press Contacts
Becky Yeamans
+ 1 973 937 0155
PR@globalcrossing.com
Jo Graves
Europe
+ 44 (0) 1256 858 403
EuropePR@globalcrossing.com
Analysts/Investors Contacts
Gino Mathew
+ 1 973 937 0133
glbc@globalcrossing.com
|