Colt Technology Services: Building a Foundation for Business Success

Colt's journey began in 1992. Today, it provides high bandwidth services for enterprises and wholesale customers in Europe, Asia and North America’s largest business hubs. The company enables the digital transformation of businesses through its intelligent, purpose-built, cloud-integrated network, known as the Colt IQ Network. It connects over 800 data centers around the globe, with over 25,000 on-net buildings and growing. Colt is also recognized as an innovator and pioneer in software defined networks (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV).

Colt's global network services are delivered on its highly available and secure network that spans four continents with Colt-owned infrastructure in 32 countries. The Colt IQ Network is a 100Gbps optimized intelligent network distributed to 900+ data centers and carrier hotels around the world, providing best in class service and optimized for SDN, NFV and cloud services. The Colt IQ Network has breadth and depth across four continents, allowing Colt to support the technology and communication services on which its customer’s business depends. They are present in 32 countries in Europe, Asia plus the US and have agreements with providers in others so they can ensure total global coverage.

Colt has built its reputation on putting its customers first, with a focus on delivering true local presence and agility for enterprises that are global yet need local attention. Customers include data intensive organizations spanning over 200 connected cities in nearly 30 countries. Colt counts 19 of the top 25 global telecoms companies and 18 out of the top 25 global media companies (Forbes 2000 list, 2016) amongst its customers. In addition, Colt works with over 50 exchange venues and 13 European central banks. Privately owned, Colt is one of the most financially sound companies in its industry and able to provide the best customer experience at a competitive price.

"The overall evaluation of the service received is positive in two ways: first, due to the technical quality of the product in terms of its strength, consistency and security, and second, in terms of the advice and assistance received during both the pre- and post-sales stages," said Javier Bartolome, Technology Director, IMSolutions.

Launches 400GE service across both Europe and Asia Pacific

Colt Technology Services recently announced the availability of its new 400GE Wave and Private Wave services, making it the first telco to offer customers access to the technology as a service across both Europe and the Asia Pacific regions. Based on Ciena’s WaveLogic 5 Extreme (WL5e) coherent optical technology, the 400GE service builds upon Colt’s high bandwidth optical portfolio delivered on the IQ Network, which includes Wave, Spectrum, and Private Wave, to deliver the next generation of services with an unparalleled end user experience over a fully programmable network.

Colt will use Ciena’s Waveserver 5 platform, powered by WL5e 800G technology to enable efficient 400GE between locations on the IQ Network, to meet the highest levels of bandwidth demands from customers.

“As a company, we’re known for our innovation – and that’s really highlighted with this announcement, with us being the first to deliver 400GE commercially across both Europe and the Asia Pacific. Colt continues to make systematic and strategic investments to drive innovation in the IQ Network, introducing next-generation, scalable and sustainable optical network technology in partnership with Ciena. We’re staying one step ahead in the market and helping our customers transform the way they do business through high bandwidth connectivity,” said Vivek Gaur, Colt’s VP Network Engineering.

Inclusion and Diversity at Work

Inclusion and diversity has become more important. And it has been rightly proven that a greater diversity and a culture of positivity bring great results for businesses and enterprises today. Colt strongly believes in this. "For a business to thrive, its people need to be able to flourish. An inclusive culture is the foundation for that. While we know there's a business case for Inclusion and Diversity; at Colt, it's more than that. Creating an inclusive workplace is woven into our DNA. One where people feel a sense of belonging, where we're all able to contribute and work together to achieve our strategy," said Keri Gilder, CEO of Colt.

The company’s programs and initiatives aim to connect Colt with the outside community and create meaningful opportunities. These include:

• Returners@Colt – Colt's initiative designed to attract professionals who have taken a career break into its business
• Best Brave Self - a development series by women for women at Colt, designed to build confidence and support each other to go beyond comfort zones
• Inspiring Inclusion – Colt's program for people managers designed to drive inclusive leadership behaviors
• Mental Health First Aiders – Colt has 60 MFHAs across the globe who have been trained to be the first response for colleagues who need a listening ear or signposting to further support
• Leonard Cheshire - working with this UK charity, Colt has hosted students and graduates with disabilities or long-term conditions to give them a positive first experience of the world of work

Keri Gilder, Chief Executive Officer

Appointed to the role in May 2020, Keri is responsible for executing Colt’s strategy which centers on transforming the way the world works through the power of connectivity. Before becoming CEO, Keri was Colt’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), leading global teams across sales, presales and marketing, as well as working closely with the wider organisation to ensure Colt delivered for its customers.

Before joining Colt, Keri held several leadership roles at Ciena but was most recently its Vice President and General Manager EMEA, responsible for guiding Ciena’s EMEA service provider and enterprise customers, as well as partners. Before Ciena, Keri worked in multiple roles for Lucent Technologies, and she has also worked for Hughes Aircraft as a Network Engineer.

Keri has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Management Information Systems (MIS) from New Mexico State University.