Visa Europe signed a deal with BT in 2002 for the implementation of an IP network across Western Europe as part of its global strategic initiative, launched in 2000, to replace the existing legacy System Network Architecture. Visa signed a similar five-year deal in 2003 for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa.

The new deal represents a contract renewal with BT, as well as migration to BT's new global network. The 21CN Global Network includes the company's established MPLS network - much of which was already IP-based before the strategic architecture was defined for 21CN. The new network also represents the merger of a number of different network platforms across the globe BT gained as a result of growth, mergers, acquisitions and alliances.

BT says the deal will offer Visa's 4,600 member banks in 36 countries better support, business continuity and network security. It claims that by using a single supplier and a flexible network, further upgrades and developments will be made simpler than previously possible.

Steve Chambers, CIO, Visa Europe, says: "Visa Europe processed transactions worth EUR1.3 trillion during 2007 so scalability and resilience go hand-in-hand for us. The trust of our customers is of paramount importance, and BT has given us the reliability, security and flexibility to successfully service our member banks and their customers going forward."

Visa Europe's card processing platform - built specifically for the continent - handled more than six billion transactions in 2007, providing cross-border inter-bank switching and domestic processing.