The single voice trading platform stretches between ANZ Bank's two main trading rooms in Melbourne and Sydney and connects 240 traders. The service configuration, known as 'clustering', has previously only been applied to installations distancing around 100 kilometres between sites.

Clustering is the capability to distribute a single BT ITS voice trading platform over multiple sites and locations using high-bandwidth, low-latency network connections.

Howard Boville, head of financial markets, MD of trading communications, BT, said: "Working closely with ANZ Bank and having a good understanding of its voice trading requirements have allowed BT to provide ANZ Bank with a cluster solution that provides a seamless user experience across a remarkable distance of 850 kilometres. This innovative approach and significant achievement by BT demonstrates the robust flexibility of the BT ITS.Netrix voice trading platform."

Robert Field, Head of Markets Infrastructure, ANZ Bank, said: "We are already experiencing cost-saving benefits by switching to a 'clustered' voice trading platform. BT was the only participant in the market that could meet our requirements to host the central equipment across dual sites located so far away from each other."

BT's clustering solution helps users enhance their business continuity options by limiting the impact of an outage in one location while delivering cost-savings through maintaining the system remotely. Customers are increasingly demanding these 'thin building' solutions that separate central equipment and physical switches away from the traders and trading sites.

Clustering is one of a range of new capabilities offered to users of the BT ITS voice trading platform.