CLEAR Communications to Outsource IT Operations
07 September 2000
New Zealand's CLEAR Communications to Outsource IT Operations to Unisys in $50 Million Deal
Partnership enables CLEAR to focus on telecom innovation and increasing market share; builds on earlier agreement to partner in delivering Unisys ASP Services through CLEAR's fibre optic network
Wellington, New Zealand September 5, 2000 - Unisys Corporation today announced that it has won a five-year, NZD$50 million information technology outsourcing contract with CLEAR Communications, New Zealand's second largest telecommunications company and provider of the country's most advanced intelligent fibre optic network.
Under the contract, Unisys will design and build infrastructure services and support existing mainframe, server, local and wide area network (LAN/WAN) and desktop operations for CLEAR corporate IT systems. Unisys will acquire relevant IT hardware as part of the agreement and CLEAR will retain infrastructure and operations associated with its ISP services and on-line products.
The outsourcing agreement will affect about 40 staff, who have all been offered roles with Unisys.
CLEAR IT director Graham Walmsley cited Unisys expertise in creating better value through shared services * as well as the company's access to global best practices and technical knowledge * as reasons for choosing the company to manage its IT operations.
"Unisys is a world-recognized provider of outsourcing services. They have a large customer base in New Zealand, a good track record and an impressive breadth of capability," Walmsley said. "And this deal builds on our existing relationship with Unisys - that of a strategic communications partner to speed delivery of Unisys ASP services."
In June, Unisys announced that it will use CLEAR's fibre optic network as its preferred method of delivering its Application Services Provider (ASP) service in New Zealand. Unisys will promote CLEAR's service as its preferred platform, and CLEAR will identify opportunities where it can sell the Unisys ASP program to its customers.
"Our relationship with CLEAR just gets better and better," said Marcel van den Assum, Unisys manager for Global Outsourcing, New Zealand. "We are thrilled that our partnership with CLEAR has deepened in this way. CLEAR's evaluation process was rigorous, and together we've reached a result that will focus on increasing value within CLEAR. Ultimately, it will be our shared customers who will truly reap the benefits of this relationship in expanded and more cost-effective service."
Release ends For further information please contact:
Paula McArthur, Unisys (NZ)
Phone: 04-462-2139 Mobile: 025-524-571
paula.mcarthur@unisys.com
Rochelle Lockley, CLEAR
Phone: +64 (09) 912 4104 Mobile: (021) 763 784
Alan Aptheker,
Unisys (US) Phone: 703-620-7347 Mobile: (804) 610-4136
alan.aptheker@unisys.com (Both Marcel van den Assum and
Graham Walmsley are available for interviews) About Unisys
Unisys is an electronic business solutions company whose
36,000 employees help customers in 100 countries apply
information technology to seize opportunities and overcome
challenges of the Internet economy. Unisys people integrate
and deliver the solutions, services, platforms and network
infrastructure required by business and government to
transform their organizations for success in this new era.
The company offers a rich portfolio of Unisys e-@ction
Solutions for electronic business based on its expertise in
vertical industry solutions, network services, outsourcing,
systems integration and multivendor support, coupled with
enterprise-class server and related technologies. The
primary vertical markets Unisys serves worldwide include
financial services, transportation, communications,
publishing and commercial sectors, as well as the public
sector, including federal government customers. Unisys is
headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, in the Greater
Philadelphia area. For more information on the company,
access the Unisys home page on the World Wide Web at
www.unisys.com. Investor information can be found at
www.unisys.com/investor. About CLEAR CLEAR's focus on
business, its innovation, and its state-of-the-art fibre
optic digital network set it apart as one of New Zealand's
leading communications companies. CLEAR is wholly owned by
BT. A world leader in telecommunications, BT gives CLEAR
access to the Concert global network as well as to
formidable research and development resources.
www.clear.co.nz Unisys is a registered trademark and
e-@ction is a trademark of Unisys Corporation. All other
brands and products referenced herein are acknowledged to be
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
holders. Rochelle Lockley Communications Manager -
Commercial CLEAR Communications DDI: 09 912 4104 Mobile: 021
763 784 rochelle.lockley@clear.co.nz