Microsoft
and BT to Bring Digital Networked Economy Closer To
Smaller Businesses [December 1, 2004]
BT
to Implement New .NET-based Solution With Microsoft
Hosted Exchange Infrastructure
To
Deliver Rich E-Mail and Software Services to Smaller
Businesses
LONDON
— Dec. 1, 2004 — Microsoft Corp. and BT
today announced they have signed an information technology
(IT) services agreement for a series of strategic projects
that will enable BT to accelerate the launch of new
Internet-based services to its customers. By implementing
the Microsoft® solution, BT will be able to roll
out affordable and easy-to-use e-mail, shared calendar
and contacts, as well as other software applications,
to smaller businesses. The first new service BT plans
to launch is an enhanced e-mail service for smaller
businesses based on Microsoft Hosted Exchange. The contract
between the two companies is valued at approximately
$7 million (U.S.).
“Using
the Microsoft .NET-based framework as the core of this
infrastructure, we will be able to deliver a ‘plug
and play’ facility for launching Internet-hosted
software services, initially to smaller businesses in
the U.K. Our aim is to offer these businesses a way
to reduce or eliminate the initial capital outlays and
ongoing maintenance costs that are associated with managing
IT in-house,” said Duncan Ingram, managing director
of BT Openworld. “BT, together with Microsoft,
aims to make IT applications and services simple to
use, affordable and of good value. By offering an ‘a
la carte’ menu of services that can be tailored
to the diverse needs of a smaller business, we can deliver
a level of customer service and support that we believe
will help us both to drive new revenue streams.”
The
solution being deployed by BT comprises a suite of Microsoft
.NET-based software and service packages that are designed
to provide enhanced connectivity and streamline operational
and billing processes. For example, Microsoft BizTalk®
Server 2004 provides BT with a unified view of and easy
access to its customer data and service information,
helping ensure that BT can provision and bill customers
for the new services quickly and efficiently.
The
project follows extensive trials by BT and Microsoft
Consulting Services at the Microsoft Technology Centre
in Reading, England, and the Microsoft Partner Solutions
Center in Redmond, Wash., to ensure the carrier-grade
scalability and reliability needed to deploy these new
hosted IT services on a wide scale. The projects are
being coordinated by Microsoft Consulting Services,
which is working with global systems integration provider
Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. to implement the integrated
solution. HP also will provide services to deliver the
security-enhanced and scalable Microsoft Hosted Exchange
infrastructure within BT.
“In
the telecoms market, fixed-line and mobile operators
have recognized that incremental revenues will be driven
by their ability to deliver a range of value-added services
— particularly to smaller businesses,” said
Daren Mancini, U.K. director of the Communications Sector
at Microsoft. “Microsoft is working closely with
Tata Consultancy Services and HP to help BT deliver
these innovative and profitable services to its customers
and ensure they are efficiently integrated into BT’s
existing infrastructure.”
“Tata
Consultancy Services is pleased to be working with Microsoft
to develop this strategic solution for BT, not only
because BT is a valued customer for both of our companies,
but also because this project is a key milestone in
an important business relationship for Tata Consultancy
Services and Microsoft,” said A.S. Lakshminarayanan,
vice president and country manager for the UK &
Ireland at Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. “This
solution will form a principal foundation for BT as
they deliver new services to realize their vision around
the Digital Networked Economy and Tata Consultancy Services
is delighted to work with Microsoft to help BT achieve
this.”
Microsoft
Hosted Exchange 2003 Solution
The
Microsoft Solution for Hosted Exchange 2003 enables
service providers to offer flexible and scalable e-mail,
messaging and collaboration services to smaller businesses
and consumers. Hosted Exchange is a tested, pre-engineered
solution based on Microsoft server products and includes
management tools that help ensure rapid time to market
and superior service levels to end users.
Hosted
Exchange offers the scalability to meet changing needs,
accommodating growth from 30,000 to several million
e-mail accounts, and also offers flexible business modeling
and tools to help operators quickly deploy value-added
services with minimal cost.
About
Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
Microsoft
has operated in EMEA since 1982. In the region Microsoft
employs more than 12,000 people in over 55 subsidiaries,
delivering products and services in more than 139 countries
and territories.
About
BT
BT
is one of the world’s leading providers of communications
solutions serving customers in Europe, the Americas
and Asia Pacific. Its principal activities include IT
and networking services, local, national and international
telecommunications services, and higher-value broadband
and internet products and services.
BT
consists principally of three lines of business:
-
BT Retail, providing fixed and mobile communications
services and solutions and IT and networking services
to more than 20 million business and residential customers
in the UK. It is also a leading UK internet services
provider.
- BT
Wholesale, providing network services and solutions
within the UK to more than 600 fixed and mobile operators
and service providers including the provision of broadband,
private circuits.
-
BT Global Services, providing IT and networking services
internationally to meet the needs of multi-site organisations
with European operations. BT Global Services operates
in more than 130 countries and also offers international
carrier services.
In
the year ended 31 March 2004, BT Group’s turnover
was £18,519 million with profit before goodwill
amortisation, exceptional items and taxation of 2,013
million.
BT
Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and
New York. British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all
businesses and assets of the BT Group.
For
more information, visit http://www.bt.com/about.
About
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
Tata
Consultancy Services (TCS) is the world leading information
technology consulting, services, and business process
outsourcing organization that envisioned and pioneered
the adoption of the flexible global business practices
that today enable companies to operate more efficiently
and produce more value.
TCS
achieved this by creating and perfecting a unique method
of global deployment and delivery of high quality, high
value services and products in IT consulting and business
process outsourcing. Known as the “Global Delivery
Model,” this strategic services delivery concept
has reshaped the IT services industry.
More
than 75% of TCS customers reward the company’s
reliability, passion, creativity, and unique ability
to handle the broadest range of their IT needs by continually
extending and deepening their partnerships with TCS.
With over 30,000 of the world’s best trained IT
consultants
located in 32 countries, TCS is uniquely positioned
to deliver its flexible world class services seamlessly
to any location.
TCS
reported consolidated revenues of $1.56 billion (U.S.)
in the fiscal year 2003-2004. The company is listed
on the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange
in India.
TCS
has been operating in the UK and Ireland since 1975
and has eight offices in these markets, including a
development center in Guildford. Over 5000 TCS consultants
are engaged on UK client work for organisations such
as the NHS, Aviva, Forth Ports, Somerfield and P&O.
For
more information, visit our website at www.tcs.com/uk
About
Microsoft
Founded
in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the
worldwide leader in software, services and solutions
that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
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Microsoft
and BizTalk are either registered trademarks or trademarks
of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other
countries.
The
names of actual companies and products mentioned herein
may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
For
more information, press only:
United
States:
Dagmar
Glier, Weber Shandwick, (425) 452-5439, dglier@webershandwick.com
International:
Helen
Murphy, Weber Shandwick, + 44 (0) 20 7067 0531, hmurphy@webershandwick.com
Microsoft
EMEA Response Centre, +44 870 243 0515, emearesponse@wagged.com
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