• BT Wholesale improves team collaboration with Cisco Webex in era of hybrid working
• BT Wholesale enhances voice and collaboration solution for channel partners 
• New capability accelerates digital transformation for channel partners and businesses ahead of 2025 ISDN and PSTN switch off

London, U.K. – 5 May 2021 - BT is strengthening its support for Wholesale customers, with the launch of Cisco Webex as part of its Wholesale Hosted Communications (WHC) solution. Working with Cisco, BT Wholesale is accelerating digital transformation for channel partners and their customers with new functionality that provides smart, secure collaboration tools.

With hybrid working models becoming the norm and 87% of employees in the UK expecting more flexibility and choice in working locations, BT is making hybrid working easier and more productive for businesses by adding Cisco Webex to its WHC solution.

This makes BT Wholesale one of the first major service providers in Europe to offer this advanced integrated Webex collaboration experience to channel partners and their customers. As well as enterprise-grade video conferencing, Cisco Webex delivers instant messaging, file sharing, collaborative spaces and IP calling features.

With the launch of Cisco Webex, BT Wholesale’s channel partners can help their customers enhance their productivity with advanced video conferencing services and online meetings, instant messaging, screen sharing and other business collaboration tools.

The complete suite of collaboration tools is scalable for organisations of all sizes and is underpinned by BT’s leading 24/7 monitored network which provides customers with a secure and reliable approach to flexible working.

The blend of services available through WHC with Cisco Webex allows businesses to adopt a hybrid working model, helping employees to work just as collaboratively from their home offices or remote location, as they do in the office. In addition to helping customers work better from anywhere, the solution also supports wider company ambitions, such as helping to reduce carbon emissions through reduced levels of travel, or supporting digital transformation journeys.

The enhanced solution also prepares businesses ahead of the 2025 switch-off of the UK’s ISDN and PSTN, signalling a shift for businesses to all-IP. This next generation of digital voice services empowers businesses to use the latest technology ahead of the switchover.

Gavin Jones, Channel Director, BT Wholesale says: “The pandemic has created a market necessity for collaboration and accelerated digital transformation. It is no longer a bonus; it’s an inevitability. But every organisation embarks on a different digital journey - a one size fits all approach doesn’t exist.

That’s why it’s vital that we provide the necessary collaboration tools and services to help our channel partners not only navigate through that change, but enable their customers to flourish long after.  With the 2025 switch off on the horizon, it’s our ambition to offer the technology and support to best prepare businesses.”

Jeff Boslem, Regional Director EMEAR Partner Collaboration Sales at Cisco stated: “We are excited to be partnering with BT and their fantastic channel partners to bring to market Wholesale Hosted Communications with Cisco Webex.”

Companies are reimagining how they work and the all new Cisco Webex is a game-changer for UK businesses as they prepare to return to the office. With Cisco Webex, companies can maximise their productivity and keep employees connected, no matter the location. Cisco is committed to enabling seamless collaboration, with unparalleled security, to secure companies’ hybrid work forces in this new era of work - allowing employees to seamlessly connect with people inside and outside their company, as well as leverage the business applications they already know and love.

The new way of working is already here and WHC with Cisco Webex will enable businesses to not only survive, but to thrive in the new normal.

More detail about WHC with Cisco Webex is available here.

About BT

BT Group is the UK’s leading telecommunications and network provider and a leading provider of global communications services and solutions, serving customers in 180 countries. Its principal activities in the UK include the provision of fixed voice, mobile, broadband and TV (including Sport) and a range of products and services over converged fixed and mobile networks to consumer, business and public sector customers. For its global customers, BT provides managed services, security and network and IT infrastructure services to support their operations all over the world. BT consists of four customer-facing units: Consumer, Enterprise, Global and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Openreach, which provides access network services to over 650 communications provider customers who sell phone, broadband and Ethernet services to homes and businesses across the UK.

For the year ended 31 March 2020, BT Group’s reported revenue was £22,905m with reported profit before taxation of £2,353m.

British Telecommunications plc is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

For more information, visit www.bt.com/about

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