Cisco technology selected for Honolulu network upgrade

Corporate IT Update, April 8, 2008

CORPORATE IT UPDATE-(C)1995-2008 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Networking solutions provider Cisco (Nasdaq:CSCO) has revealed that its channel partners enVision Networked Solutions and Hawaiian Telcom worked with the city of Honolulu to help deploy a gigabit fibre network and 3,500 Cisco Unified IP phones, with the transition due to be completed within the next 18 months.

Cisco said the citywide network upgrade was part of a multi-year project intended to transform Honolulu's communication and collaboration capabilities and includes the provision of Cisco Unified Communications capabilities to the office of Mayor Mufi Hanneman.

The city's phone systems had been identified as a barrier to it achieving its goals, with an outdated PBX system featuring 14 separate PBX and key systems. The network upgrade began two years ago and has placed the city's first responders on a single, reliable network system, helping to boost communication and collaboration and improve public safety.

In addition, the city has created a website, http://driveakamai.org/main/ and a traffic information advisory hotline, which is updated using Cisco Unified Communications technology and is intended to help manage traffic congestion. The Pothole Hotline uses Cisco Unified Messaging technology, enabling users to call, have a voicemail sent to the road crew by e-mail, helping to speed the work order and enable the city to make repairs more quickly.

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