Tbaytel wraps new voice communications network with Ribbon

Canada’s Tbaytel has selected key components from the fixed voice core solutions suite from Ribbon Communications to modernise its communications network.

Since it was founded in 1902, Tbaytel claims to have grown into the largest independently owned telecommunications provider in Canada. It says its mission is to recognise the importance of evolution and innovation and that it is committed to providing customers across northern Ontario with the best telecommunications services available to them wherever they live, over a wireless network that covers over 300,000km² – from just west of Sault Ste Marie to the Manitoba border.

Tbaytel says it keeps northern Ontario connected through advanced mobile technology and is in the process of expanding its LTE coverage across its serving territory. In 2013, the company embarked on a multi-year plan to deliver fibre-optic communications technology across its serving territory to help create a smarter, more connected region.

“We are committed to delivering our customers the best telecommunications experience possible and this network upgrade is critical to helping us continually offer our residential and business customers the latest in voice and security technology,” said Kory MacLeod, Tbaytel’s vice-president and chief technology and information officer.

To improve its voice services, Tbaytel is deploying Ribbon’s Virtual C20, G6 Media Gateway, Diameter Signalling Controller, Policy and Routing Server and Stir/Shaken systems to deliver what it says will be a “state-of-the-art” communications network.

Tbaytel said it selected Ribbon because of its strong performance during the proof of concept and the capabilities of its professional services organisation. RibbonCare, Ribbon’s portfolio of professional services and support offerings, is also being used to enable Tbaytel to minimise its opex during the upgrade.

“This was a very competitive project, but in the end we were extremely pleased with Ribbon’s performance during the proof of concept and the level of service and expertise of their professional services organisation,” added MacLeod.

For its part, Ribbon believes it has delivered a cost-effective network modernisation solution that will enable Tbaytel to improve its total cost of ownership, while dramatically reducing power, real estate and maintenance costs with significantly less hardware requirements.

“Tbaytel has built its reputation on being an excellent community and corporate partner that is laser-focused on providing top-tier communications services to its customers, so we are delighted to extend our longstanding partnership with it and are excited to help modernise its communications network,” said Dave Shier, Ribbon’s vice-president of sales for Canada.