BT opens Asia Pacific Security Centre in India

BT opens Asia Pacific Security Centre in India

£375,000 investment part of BT’s ‘Follow-the-Sun’ customer service model

BT India, the local operation of BT, one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services, today announced the opening of its first ever BT Asia Pacific Security Operations centre (SOC) in India. The new SOC will initially employ over 30 highly skilled specialists, with a focus on both Asia Pacific and global customers. The SOC will provide security device management services involving critical customer components including firewalls, intrusion detection devices and Bluecoat Proxy devices used for securing networked-IT environments.

The new BT SOC centre will manage customers’ security environments, 24 hours a day, every day of the year for a number of customers within finance, retail, and manufacturing sectors delivering incident, change, configuration and problem management services working alongside BT’s European and Americas Security Operations Centres. This will create a BT global “Follow-the-Sun” SOC customer service platform.

Speaking on the announcement, Mr Sudhir Narang, Managing Director BT India said “The BT SOC centre is another measure of BT’s support and service to customers globally. We want customers to be able to change configuration and tackle problem management services which are engineered to BT’s legendary quality standards.”

Implementing a “follow-the-sun” customer service model, customer support will now be passed seamlessly between Security Operations Centres in the new location of Noida, and similar operation centers in the UK and USA. The centre is located in a BT dedicated building at Noida. It has space for 100+ engineers in the first phase, comprising a segregated area with secure access control via tight security (barrier, x-ray machine) and then 2-factor authentication for room access. The facility is further toughened through additional electrical power back-up to survive the usual Delhi power outages.

Speaking on the announcement, Mr Kevin Taylor, COO BTGS said, “This is a significant step in the direction of addressing customers’ requirements for high availability networks. We will continue to invest in the SOC to ensure customers have the best environment to change or configure the latest available services from BT.

BT’s current resourcing plan is to expand the number of SOC analysts from

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Munich Re chooses BT as its international data network partner

Munich Re chooses BT as its international data network partner

Munich Re, the world’s largest re-insurance company, has again chosen BT as its international partner for networked IT services. BT is therefore its strategic partner for site networking in Germany, connecting more than 60 company sites in 33 countries via its MPLS data network. The contract runs for 42 months and is worth several million euros.

A secure and reliable, high-performance network is a top priority for the insurance group, as its employees worldwide use the network to access business-critical IT applications. For this reason, the major sites have a redundant connection to the BT data network to offer increased resilience. In addition, a global DSL-based backup concept ensures increased reliability at all locations. BT also provides central Internet access, protected by firewalls against external attacks.

“The decisive factors for us were not only the price, but above all top quality and exceptional reliability. In our previous collaboration, BT experts always showed a willingness to put themselves out to meet even the toughest of challenges”, explained Ludger Bolmerg, Head of Section Network Services at Munich Re.

Luis Alvarez, President BT EMEA and Latin America, explained: “I am delighted that we have again been awarded the contract in this new invitation to tender from Munich Re and are now its strategic network partner for Germany. This contract underlines our particular strength, combining local expertise with a global presence in more than 170 countries around the world.”

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BT MSM delivers 10 billionth message

BT MSM delivers 10 billionth message

With over a decade of Secure Messaging provision BT celebrates milestone

BT today announced that it has delivered its 10 billionth message across its SettleNET service – the flagship offering of its Managed Secure Messaging (MSM) product that provides access to Euroclear UK & Ireland. The service has allowed investment banks, asset managers, global custodians and clearers to send and receive secure, tamper-proof, non-repudiable messages for over a decade and handles up to 4 million messages daily.

Financial institutions now demand increased levels of security and reliability in external communications whilst at the same time seeking the lowest overall Total Cost of Ownership. BT Managed Secure Messaging delivers the highest globally available level of security through state-of-the art authentication, integrity and confidentiality to minimise operational and settlement risks.

BT has provided a secure messaging channel to Euroclear UK & Ireland since 1996, allowing users to send and receive screen, message and file transactions in a secure, private and timely fashion. This is all accomplished with the lowest possible Total Cost of Ownership.

The MSM service is flexible and scalable and can be used to meet a wide variety of secure messaging requirements, including cross-industry trade confirmation and settlement, cash and securities balance and account reporting, asset servicing and corporate actions processing.

Martin Spooner, Divisional IT Director, Capita Insurance & Investor Services said: „Capita Registrars have used BT’s SettleNet Service since the launch of CREST in 1996. During this time, the SettleNet services has delivered 100% availability, reduced operating costs and a high quality service in all respects. We are very happy with all aspects of the service that BT has delivered.”

Hugh Cumberland, Product Strategy Director, BT Global Services, said: “BT has a proven track record in providing secure messaging services and now sells the service into over 80 countries globally. Our experience in this space is vital to our customers’ realization of securer communication with their counterparties and reduced total cost of ownership.”

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GTS Novera joins BT Alliance with gold partner status

GTS Novera joins BT Alliance with gold partner status

T and GTS Novera announced today that GTS Novera has joined the BT Alliance programme with a Gold Partner status, making it easier and more cost-effective for multinational companies in the Czech Republic to take advantage of BT’s global networked IT services capabilities. GTS Novera is the only BT Alliance partner in the Czech Republic.

BT Alliance is a global partner programme, established to support BT Global Services in the selling, distribution and support of a range of products and services from across the BT portfolio through a global network of partners. The BT Alliance programme was officially launched in 2008 and comprises of over 100 partners around the world.

In order to reach Gold Partner status, GTS Novera had to meet demanding requirements, including guaranteed quality of services and successful completion of help desk certification.
Pawel Karlowski, general manager, BT Central and Eastern Europe, said “The local partnership model gives businesses access to world-class global network services, while dealing with a trusted local partner, in their own language and currency. It’s a very compelling proposition, which truly brings together the best of both worlds.”

Stuart Evers, chief executive officer, GTS Novera, said “Our status of only Czech-based ‘Gold Partner’ within the BT Alliance reinforces our position and capabilities as a solid operator serving large organisations. Furthermore, our customers can now tap into the wide portfolio of services offered by BT. Our close cooperation also allows us to share commercial marketing, technical resources and know-how which will be reflected in the solutions created for our clients.”

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BT Global Services named a “Strong Performer” in indeBT Global Services named a “Strong Performer” in independent evaluation of information security and IT risk consulting marketspendent evaluation of information security and IT risk consulting markets

BT Global Services named a “Strong Performer” in independent evaluation of information security and IT risk consulting markets

Report cites BT Global Services as “excellent capability in the domain of information security”; “leads the telcos with superior current offerings”

BT Global Services today announced it was named a “strong performer” in both IT Security and IT Risk Consulting categories in “The Forrester Wave: Information Security and IT Risk Consulting, Q1 2009” (March 2009).

The report states that BT Global Services has “excellent capabilities in specific domains of information security” and describes BTGS as one of three providers “seen as having well-established partner relationships that enable them to offer pre-tested and integrated solution – pain points for many chief information security officers (CISOs).”

According to Forrester, this report is designed to assess the state of the information security and IT risk consulting market and to evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of each provider’s approach. Forrester bases its report on extensive research on enterprise needs as well as interviews with vendors and experts.

The report recognizes BT Global Services as an “excellent [choice] for organizations that are looking for an established security services player with a risk-focused approach” and cites BT as the “most mature in its practice” among its IT risk consulting peer group of three other strong performers in the category.

“BT is honored to be recognized by Forrester as a strong performer in this evaluation. We are a provider of solutions critical to helping enterprises manage their IT operations,” notes Ray Stanton, Global Head, Business Continuity and Security and Governance Practice. “BT’s modular approach to risk consulting enables customers to address key security concerns while managing costs and developing solutions tailored to their specific needs.”

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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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