BT provides high speed connectivity to new trading platform for Nordic shares

BT provides high speed connectivity to new trading platform for Nordic shares

BT today announced that Burgundy, a new trading platform for Nordic shares, will use the Radianz Shared Market Infrastructure to provide high speed connectivity services for order flow and market data.

Burgundy is a membership based Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF) for trading Nordic securities. The trading facility is owned by the leading Nordic banks and securities trading firms.

Olof Neiglick, CEO of Burgundy, said: “We chose to work with BT because they have a demonstrable track record as a trusted provider of high speed connectivity and other services. The Radianz Shared Market Infrastructure provides quick and easy access to the financial community as well as ultra high speed, low latency connectivity.

“In addition, we needed to move quickly to get this infrastructure in place and BT is able meet our timetable for delivery.”

The Radianz Shared Market Infrastructure is one of the largest dedicated networks for the financial services industry and provides fast, secure, reliable connectivity to a global community of trading-related partners, financial applications and services.

Phil Mottram, BT Global Services, said: “We are delighted that Burgundy has chosen to work with us to provide its members with connectivity services. We already work with a number of leading MTFs and today’s announcement cements our position as the industry’s preferred partner and the first choice for fast access to the financial community.”

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BT launches “Work Anywhere” portfolio in Benelux

BT launches “Work Anywhere” portfolio in Benelux

BT today announced the Benelux availability of its “Work Anywhere” portfolio, a suite of mobility solutions and professional services designed to help transform enterprises into flexible, mobile business environments in which employees are fully equipped with the tools needed to work securely and effectively from anywhere, at any time, regardless of the device and network being used.

“Employee commuting, travelling, inadequate technology and business processes all result in the massive loss of productive working hours. It’s becoming critical for organizations to empower their workforces to be productive and contactable wherever they are working”, says Bas Burger, CEO BT Benelux. “And it’s not only productivity which matters; flexible working delivers improved cost management, environmental benefits, higher employee job satisfaction and ultimately, higher profits.” (1)

Since October, despite the current economy dampening corporate spending, consultants at BT Global Services’ professional services unit have seen a three-fold increase in multinational businesses using its “Work Anywhere Quick Start” package, which lies at the heart of the offering. This short, focused assessment provides a high-level business case for change that addresses the financial, behavioural and political dimensions of adopting new working practices.

In Benelux, BT’s consultancy-based approach is complemented by Pentascope, a local change management consultancy firm. “BT’s offering enables people to work anywhere, at any time, like being in the office. What does this mean for organisations, management style, property estate, and above all for employees and customers? The behavioural aspects of implementing flexible working are as important as the technology itself”, says Peter Meijers, Implementation Manager Work Innovation, Pentascope.

According to Chris Barnard, one of the authors of IDC’s latest ‘Top 10 Predictions’ on the enterprise mobility market, the number of mobile workers in Western-Europe will increase to 99 million at the end of 2012, from 95 million in 2007. The industry analyst firm sees flexible working, particularly in the current market, as one of the key drivers for businesses to reduce unnecessary costs, directly impacting companies’ bottom-line results.” (2)

BT’s mobility capabilities have enabled nearly 80,000 of its own employees to work flexibly from anywhere. In Benelux, 80% of the workforce has the means to work flexibly.

The portfolio includes:

* BT Work Anywhere Quick Start – This concept is the core of the consultancy and professional services that is provided within the Work Anywhere proposition and provides the strategic and tactical guidance for all other work that follows.
* BT Workstyle Managed Service – offers a portfolio of managed services which address the Property, People and Process needs of an enterprise.
* Secure Remote Access – BT MobileXpress enables end-users secure access to the corporate intranet & key applications when working remotely. This is the key enabler to being able to empower your employees to work securely from wherever they are.
* Mobile Infrastructure Services – focus on helping customers plan, design, procure, stage, & deploy WLAN environments.
* Mobile Collaboration and Advisory – BT Conferencing offers a suite of audio, video, & web solutions facilitating knowledge sharing & improved productivity across a distributed base of employees.
* Unified Communication & Collaboration Services – BT can turn the complexity of integrated voice, data, fixed, mobile and applications into an operationally supporting and business impacting UCC environment.
* Professional Services including planning and assessment, intelligent buildings, design, implementation, management and security, training and support.

For more information, go to: http://www.globalservices.bt.com/BusinessContentAction.do?N=4294967153&col1Id=4294966754&col2Id=Work_anywhere_business_needs_all_en-gb&title=Work%20anywhere.

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The Spanish Ministry of Public Administration awards its data communications and fixed telephony to BT for the second time

The Spanish Ministry of Public Administration awards its data communications and fixed telephony to BT for the second time

The Ministry of Public Administration (MPA) of Spain has awarded BT Spain a major contract extension worth up to Euro 44.5 million over its lifetime, to provide networked IT and telephony services.

MPA – which co-ordinates and offers administrative support to the Spanish government at a central, regional and local level across 400 offices – awarded BT Global Services the contract after a competitive tender. The four-year contract, which will see BT provide fixed line, internet and data services to the Spanish government is expected to be worth Euro 28.3 million, with a provision to extend that by another two years for the value of Euro 16.19 million.

BT will provide around the clock monitoring and maintenance for all the data and fixed line telephony voice traffic that will travel between the MPA’s 300 offices over its 11,000 kilometre Spanish Internet Protocol network.

“We are very pleased to contribute to the modernisation of the Administration, whose main beneficiaries are the country’s citizens,”said Jacinto Cavestany, country manager of BT España “The fact that this is the second time that BT has been awarded the MPA’s telecommunications’ services consolidates BT’s position as the main technology alternative in the Public Administration, where BT is establishing a firm commitment and sustained growth.”

The contract builds on two previous contracts BT had with MPA over the last six years, but also consolidates extra activities following a competitive tender with other major European telecoms providers.

The deal builds on a number of recent BT wins with the Spanish public sector, leveraging the liberalisation of the telecommunications purchasing processes in the sector. In Spain, BT currently provides services to public organisations such as the INEM (public unemployment agency), Red.es, the City Hall of Barcelona, the Spanish Parliament and the Community of Madrid.

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BT ranked top global operator for customer satisfaction

BT ranked top global operator for customer satisfaction

BT’s Global Services division has been ranked as top operator by influential industry analyst Telemark Services in its most recent global VPN customer experience report, with an overall rating of excellent.

BT Global Services’ overall score was the highest ever recorded by Telemark in a global dataVPN satisfaction analysis – a feat described by Telemark as a new world record for overall customer satisfaction.

The global dataVPN report assesses operators by using Telemark’s customer satisfaction index (CSI), a series of 32 service attributes grouped in categories. Telemark compiles a league table of results ranking global operators according to the CSI. BT Global services was ranked first overall for customer satisfaction and received the Telemark Platinum Award. A total of 682 respondents from large business enterprises and multi-national corporations participated in the survey.

As the top global operator, BT Global Services is recognised for its ability to:

* focus on doing what matters most to customers better than competitors;
* earn the trust and confidence of customers through providing a positive customer experience from bid to bill
* build relationships of trust at every contact interface;
* communicate proven success to reinforce a positive post-purchase experience

Janet Watkin, Director of Telemark, said, “BT is perceived as best in class for the customer service experience with global data VPN, having achieved poll position in the overall customer satisfaction rankings for the second consecutive time. The Platinum Award, presented to BT by Telemark, acknowledges BT’s success in capturing the hearts and minds of customers with excellence and ahead of global rivals.”

Hanif Lalani, chief executive BT Global Services said, “Customer experience improvement has been a major focus for BT in the last couple of years. We’ve made good progress towards our objective of making things right first time for customers. It’s great to see that our customers are also recognising our efforts.”

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BT signs a contract with Avis to manage its communications in Spain and Portugal

BT signs a contract with Avis to manage its communications in Spain and Portugal

For a value of approximately 4.5 million Euros and a seven year durationBT Spain announced today an agreement with Avis, whereby BT becomes the telecommunications services provider for Avis Alquile un Coche, S.A., Avis Contact Centers, S.A. and Avis Rent a Car Portugal. BT will be responsible for the companies’ WAN (Wide Area Network or Extended Communications Network) in Spain and Portugal, the WAN infrastructure for the Avis call centre in Barcelona, as well as for the management and proactive monitoring of the car rental company’s network.

The agreement, amounting to almost 4.5 million Euros and with a seven year contract term, also includes 3G backup services and 24×7 maintenance for the organisation’s most critical central offices.

Jacinto Cavestany, managing director of BT Spain, said: “We are pleased to announce that BT has been chosen as a strategic telecommunications partner for such a leading company as Avis. It is a good example of how BT is helping to transform companies, generating efficiency and cost savings.”

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The Gem Group Uses Dell Cloud-Based Services to Save Money | www.dell.com

The Gem Group Uses Dell Cloud-Based Services to Save Money
* By Simplifying IT Management, The Gem Group Reduced its IT Budget by 10 Percent
* Dell Helps Reduce the Cost of Managing Corporate Assets and Email
* Through IT Automation, The Gem Group Can Focus on Strategic IT Initiatives

Dell today announced The Gem Group, the promotional product industry’s premiere supplier of bags, business accessories and gifts, has reduced its maintenance and support IT budget by 10 percent thanks to automated desktop management and email continuity services from Dell. The Gem Group is one of 5,000 customers using Dell’s cloud-based services to automate labor intensive, manual IT processes for significant cost savings.

The News

* By eliminating manual compliance and security processes The Gem Group has significantly reduced IT expenses by 10 percent. The Gem Group’s IT goal is to ensure its team focuses on high value projects that increase competitiveness rather than time consuming maintenance.
* The Gem Group is using Dell Desktop Manager to track PCs, manage inventory, user history and leases through a single console across all its systems in the U.S. and China. Dell services offer real-time visibility into all PCs and provides remote updates anywhere across the globe for international and mobile workers. The Gem Group is now resolving end-users technical issues more cost effectively and has improved employee productivity.
* With Dell Desktop Manager, The Gem Group’s IT team is saving days of manual checking previously required to keep track of what software is running on its machines in the US and China. Dell Desktop Manager monitors asset policy and procedures to help ensure software license compliance and ensures IT does not purchase excess, unnecessary licenses.
* After a hard drive crash or asset theft, Dell Online Back-up and Recovery solution helps The Gem Group’s IT team quickly and easily send a duplicate, replacement machine.

Continuous Email Access without Hardware to Maintain or Manage

* As a result of using a Dell cloud-based service for email continuity, The Gem Group immediately saved nearly 3 percent of its global IT budget by preventing capital and operational expenses, while helping to ensure sales would not be impacted due to an email outage.
* Like many companies, email is a mission critical application for The Gem Group. If email goes down due to an Internet or data center failure, sales for the company could be impacted for days.
* The Gem Group benefits from the cloud-based Email Management Service (EMS) by ensuring employees have full and continuous access to company email without downtime or data loss, regardless of what happens to the company’s email infrastructure. BlackBerry® wireless devices also continue to send and receive email and all users have full access to email, contacts, and calendar entries.

Quote

“Dell helps our IT team effectively manage assets remotely and ensure email up-time, which frees our staff to complete more strategic projects,” said Ben Messar, Director of IT at The Gem Group. “As a mid-market player in an incredibly competitive space with tight margins, it is critical we run a very efficient organization. Automating desktop and email management allowed us to reduce the cost to manage our environment by 10 percent.”

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Dell Further Enhances Customer Choice Through New Distributor Relationships

Dell Further Enhances Customer Choice Through New Distributor Relationships

In response to feedback from partners, Dell is adding to its fast-growing PartnerDirect program by offering select Dell products to partners and their customers in the United States exclusively through two leading IT distributors.

The News:

* Effective today, Dell (Nasdaq: DELL) is offering Vostro desktops and notebooks designed for small and medium businesses (SMBs) through two major distributors in the U.S.: Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE: IM) and Tech Data Corporation (Nasdaq: TECD). The program will begin in Canada later this spring.
* Dell’s distribution agreements represent further development of its global PartnerDirect program, which has more than 35,000 registered partners in 148 countries.
* Through distribution, partners and their customers can now access Dell’s small- and medium-business products even more rapidly.
* Plans are to expand the range of products offered through Ingram Micro and Tech Data in the coming weeks.
* Dell systems available through distributors will be competitively priced with similar products available direct from Dell, giving partners added flexibility in the way they obtain Dell technology for their customers.
* For customers that require more tailored IT solutions via solution providers, Dell continues to offer its full, build-to-order line of computer systems through PartnerDirect.

Quotes

* “We’ve been making more Dell products available in more ways to more customers around the world, and these new relationships deliver further on that goal, in the process helping partners most effectively meet the needs of their customers, deliver value and grow their businesses,” said Greg Davis, vice president and general manager, Dell’s Global Commercial Channels. “Our partners value Dell’s ability to custom configure IT, but they’re telling us there are times when customers’ needs are more urgent, and this agreement shows our commitment to act on feedback from partners.”
* “Dell is responding to the same input we’ve received from our reseller customers,” said Ken Lamneck, Tech Data’s Americas president. “Resellers have told us there is strong end-user demand for Dell products, and that the easiest, most cost-effective way for them to capitalize on that demand is to source all their IT solutions–including Dell–through Tech Data. All Dell partners doing business with Tech Data will have access to our entire solutions offering and extensive services, including billions in credit capacity, best-in-class e-business tools and technical training.”
* “Dell understands the value Ingram Micro provides solution providers and our ability to drive demand for our partners,” said Keith Bradley, president, Ingram Micro North America. “Through this agreement, our customers receive even greater choice, allowing them access to Dell’s quality products along with Ingram Micro’s respected financial strength, unparalleled selection of complementary products and services, and specialized marketing expertise. We’re looking forward to a long and mutually successful relationship.”

About Dell

Dell(NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. Enabled by multiple routes to market, Dell is a leading global systems and services company. For more information, visit http://www.dell.com, or to communicate directly with Dell online, go to http://www.dell.com/conversations. To get Dell news direct, visit http://www.dell.com/RSS.

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Ericsson and mobilkom austria commercially launch HSPA Evolution

Ericsson and mobilkom austria commercially launch HSPA Evolution

As first provider in Europe leading operator mobilkom austria today commercially activated enhanced mobile broadband services powered by HSPA Evolution, Ericsson’s (NASDAQ:ERIC) latest high-speed broadband access technology. HSPA Evolution, commercially marketed as HSPA+ by mobilkom austria, boosts network capacity in and enables peak data rates of up to 21Mbps, significantly improving users’ mobile broadband experience.

The network upgrade allows the customers of mobilkom austria – the Austrian market leader with 400.000 mobile broadband customers – to enhance their mobile broadband experience with the highest speeds in Austria and confirms mobilkom austria and Ericsson’s leadership in mobile broadband technology.

The step to 21Mbps peak rate adds a new dimension to the broadband experience, providing significantly faster internet browsing and file downloads. It increases network capacity and allows a greater number of customers to enjoy higher mobile broadband speeds especially in congested areas.

Ericsson is the main supplier for the upgrade of mobilkom austria’s WCDMA/HSPA radio access network with the HSPA Evolution step to 21Mbps, and is also responsible for network deployment and integration services. Transmission speed of up to 28 Mbps will be reached in the course of the year.

Hannes Ametsreiter, CMO mobilkom austria AG and CEO Telekom Austria TA AG, says: „Ericsson’s HSPA Evolution technology provides us with the fastest, most advanced mobile broadband network in the country and allows us to significantly enhance our customers’ true mobile broadband experience.”

Roland Nordgren, Head of Ericsson Central Europe and President of Ericsson Austria, says: „This launch marks an important milestone for mobile broadband in Austria. We are proud to provide mobilkom austria with the latest mobile broadband technology and support its position as a leader in innovation.”

About the HSPA Evolution step to 21Mbps
This improvement is the first step of HSPA Evolution, also called HSPA+. Using enhancements standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), it brings the maximum downlink speed for HSPA to 21Mbps, much higher than the current maximum of 14Mbps. The step to 21Mbps is obtained by using a higher-order modulation called 64QAM, which makes it possible for HSPA systems to send data bits at a higher rate. For Ericsson base stations, the enhancement is a software-only upgrade. Consumer devices that support the higher speed are already available. Future steps in the HSPA Evolution path include the addition of technologies such as Multiple-Input/Multiple-Output (MIMO) antenna technologies and multi-carrier functionality. By combining these improvements, downlink speeds of 168Mbps and uplink speeds exceeding 20Mbps will be possible. The mentioned data rates are peak-network rates. Actual customer-data rates can be lower, and will vary due to congestion, distance from the base station, local conditions, hardware, software and other factors.

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Ericsson to divest its TEMS-branded products business to Ascom

Ericsson to divest its TEMS-branded products business to Ascom

divest its TEMS-branded products business, consisting of tools for air interface monitoring and radio network planning, to Ascom. The agreement involves the transfer of about 300 employees of which around 180 are based in Sweden. The transaction is expected to close in June, 2009. With the divestment, Ericsson is refining its leading Professional Services portfolio to focus more purely on the services business.

Ericsson’s TEMS-branded products business provides tools for air interface monitoring and radio network planning. These solutions facilitate planning, implementation and optimization of networks. The TEMS brand is widely recognized as the industry leader and its products are supplied to the world’s top 20 wireless service operators. The purchase price is CHF 190 million, excluding net of assets and liabilities.

With the divestment, Ericsson is refining its leading Professional services portfolio, to focus more purely on the service business. With its strong focus on telecom services it has become of limited strategic value to Ericsson to keep the TEMS products business within the company.

Ericsson believes that this transaction will allow the TEMS business to further realize its growth potential, while adding significant competence, well-known and industry leading products and a sizable customer base to Ascom. This will also be a positive step for Ericsson’s customers, partners and employees, reaping the benefits from this divestment.

The completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. JP Morgan acts as sole financial advisor to Ericsson in the transaction.

Ericsson is the world’s leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. The market leader in 2G and 3G mobile technologies, Ericsson supplies communications services and manages networks that serve more than 250 million subscribers. The company’s portfolio comprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, and broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and developers. The Sony Ericsson joint venture provides consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices.

Ericsson is advancing its vision of ‚communication for all’ through innovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. Working in 175 countries, more than 70,000 employees generated revenue of 27 billion (SEK 209 billion) in 2008. Founded in 1876 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on the Stockholm and NASDAQ stock exchanges.

For more information, visit http://www.ericsson.com or http://www.ericsson.mobi.

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Ericsson signs contracts with China Unicom to build WCDMA networks in 15 provinces in China

Ericsson signs contracts with China Unicom to build WCDMA networks in 15 provinces in China

Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) has been selected by China Unicom to supply WCDMA networks and services for 15 Chinese provinces. The networks will enable tens of millions of subscribers to enjoy rich, high-speed 3G mobile communications.

Ericsson, along with its partners, was awarded contracts to supply WCDMA core and/or radio access network systems in 15 provinces, including Beijing, Jilin, Jiangsu, Hubei, Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Anhui, Henan, Hainan, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Shandong, Guangdong and Hunan.

Mats H Olsson, President of Ericsson Greater China, says: „We are extremely honored to be chosen by China Unicom for the first phase of their WCDMA network deployment in China. The contract further strengthens Ericsson’s position as the leading mobile communications supplier in the Chinese market and demonstrates yet again our long-term strategic partnership with China Unicom. We are confident that our undisputed technology leadership and global experience in WCDMA will contribute to the rapid expansion of China’s 3G market.”

Ericsson will supply the 2G/3G common core platform, WCDMA RAN system, network rollout services, tuning, spare parts and training services over the coming months. Deliveries and deployment have already begun. Up to now, first 3G calls have been successfully made in all the 14 cities supplied by Ericsson for China Unicom’s initial pre-commercial launch scheduled on May 17, the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

Ericsson has also been awarded contracts to upgrade China Unicom’s GSM networks to support 2G/3G interoperability functions in 10 provinces, including Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan and Hainan.

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