TeamSpirIT, the consortium-sponsored yacht taking part in the BT Global Challenge yacht race, has finished the Argentina to New Zealand leg of the race in fourth place, announces Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe Limited (FTEL). The yacht's placing represents a tremendous improvement over previous legs, thanks to the immense efforts of the crew - under new skipper John Read. All concerned enthusiastically celebrated the result, after enduring the rigours of the high winds and seas of the Southern Ocean, as well as bouts of flu.

FTEL is a consortium sponsor of the yacht TeamSpirIT in the BT Global Challenge round-the-world yacht race, which started from Southampton, England, in September 2000 and is scheduled to end there towards the end of June 2001. The BT Global Challenge is billed as "the world's toughest yacht race" and is regarded as the most challenging event of its type, with the crews sailing the "wrong way" around the world, against the prevailing winds and currents.

Against the background of the BT Global Challenge, FTEL is also celebrating its involvement in "Broadband Britain", as a key technology provider to BT for its roll-out of ADSL service across the country, as well as the recent launch of its new, second-generation FDX Multi-Service Broadband Solution. Fujitsu's FDX platform, a DSL Access Concentrator, is set to change the business economics of broadband access. Its unique features include the ability to deliver a world-leading five times increase on currently-available DSL capacity. It is also the first product of its type to combine fast Internet and video services within the same space-saving platform, while enabling huge amounts of core bandwidth to be saved in the network infrastructure.

Fujitsu is proud to be part of the BT Global Challenge, a unique event, which demonstrates the "infinite possibilities" made possible by the kind of advanced Internet and telecommunications technology solutions that the Fujitsu group is providing around the world. Indeed, the Internet is an integral part of the crew's life aboard TeamSpirIT and all the yachts in the fleet.

An advanced video capture and digital editing system is complemented by a satellite link, enabling the crews to keep in touch by voice and email, and allowing video clips of the voyage to be recorded, edited and uploaded anytime. The videos will become an important part of the race information available on the Internet, providing an up-to-the-minute snapshot of the boats' progress.

Currently employing 1,230 staff around Europe, FTEL is a strategic division of the Telecommunications Group, Fujitsu Limited, Japan - one of the world's largest communications equipment suppliers. Fujitsu's customer base includes wide-ranging contracts across the breadth of modern telecommunications networks. Focused on providing strategic end to end solutions, Fujitsu offers a complete turnkey service - from project planning, community liaison, cable laying and civil engineering, to installation, implementation and ongoing maintenance.

Headquartered in Birmingham, FTEL has extensive research and development facilities and also operates as part of Fujitsu's global manufacturing resource. The company has a long-established track record for product and service innovation, with extensive expertise in the field of leading edge optical transmission and telecommunications switching technology. This ranges from the development of the most advanced Photonic Network Solutions; to Passive Optical Networks; Fibre Access Systems; Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) networks; Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) solutions; Radio Access Systems and IP Applications; in addition to its TMN-compliant Network Management Systems.

To find out the latest on TeamSpirIT visit: http://www.ftel.co.uk/news/index.html?bt_global.html and http://www.fujitsu.co.nz/new/010117.htm.

More on the BT Global Challenge, visit http://www.btchallenge.com to follow the race's overall progress - check the yacht positions, read daily messages from the yachts, and see pictures and video clips. The web site will also display the estimated dates of arrival at all the ports of call and feature the spectacular Restart of each leg.

For more info on Fujitsu's participation in the BT Global Challenge, contact:

J.Hickey@ftel.co.uk
Julia Hickey
Marketing Communications Manager
Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe Limited