Multichannel retailer to benefit from critical network with Cable&Wireless Worldwide   Next has signed a five-year contract to connect 32 distribution sites and offices in the UK and Hong Kong with Cable&Wireless Worldwide (C&W).  

Multichannel retailer to benefit from critical network with Cable&Wireless Worldwide

Next has signed a five-year contract to connect 32 distribution sites and offices in the UK and Hong Kong with Cable&Wireless Worldwide (C&W).

C&W’s single, secure and high-speed next generation network will underpin all of Next’s critical communications, including taking orders and dispatching and receiving goods into warehouses. The network will provide Next with significantly more capacity to work with much higher volumes of goods than it was previously able to process.

Scaling with multichannel growth

The increased capacity and flexibility will also enable more customers to place orders on Next's website; this will be particularly beneficial during peak trading periods. With UK shoppers spending £5.5 billion online last December alone, Next is well positioned to ensure its festive online shoppers enjoy the same high standards of service as they would instore.

As part of the deal C&W Worldwide will also provide Next with Application Performance Management (APM), offering real-time visibility and control of what is happening on its network. For the first time, Next will be able to dynamically manage, accelerate and prioritise traffic to better meet the needs of its business and, ultimately, its customers.

A Next spokesperson commented: “We needed a highly resilient network which would support our current needs and allow for future growth and new technologies. Additionally, the APM service gives us more control over our network traffic than ever before, helping us deliver even better service to our stores and online customers."