Financial Services

China Merchants Bank: Video-Conference Network

Background

China Merchants Bank (CMB) was established in 1987. As well as a vast network in Shenzhen, CMB has branches in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Chongqing and more than 300 operation outlets throughout China. Network connectivity already covers every CMB office within the country. With its many operation locations, CMB needs a high-performance video-conference network to fulfill meeting and training requirements in a cost-effective manner. Riding on its extensive IP/video network experience, PCCW Solutions was chosen to develop a customised solution for CMB.

Challenges

CMB had very specific requirements for its video-conference network. The system needed to provide multipoint video-conference capabilities to its headquarters and 23 branches to accommodate conference requirements of 2,000 CMB employees simultaneously. Various departments within the bank were involved, such as IT, training and development, personal banking, corporate banking and accounting.

Solutions

PCCW Solutions designed and built an IP-based video-conference network system for CMB in only 20 days.

Not only did PCCW Solutions design and choose the most suitable terminal equipment for the customer according to practical situations, it also developed a user-familiar operation interface for CMB. Conference management is controllable remotely from any office via the IP network. The conference environment designed by PCCW Solutions fully meets today's international standards of video-conference systems. PCCW Solutions also assisted to optimise the existing IP network adopted by CMB so that the system could support data transmission requirements arising from company-wide video conferences and other business operations.

Value created

The usage of the video-conference network remains high. It is used on a weekly basis within the company. Employees find the system particularly useful for the introduction of new products and services as well as simultaneous and consistent training. Senior management can now conduct video conferences with heads of various branches in a more efficient manner.

In normal operation, the requirement for IT or administrative staff is minimal. It further improves the operation efficiency of the system, while enabling face-to-face meetings and training.