BT pens $220m Anglo American deal

UK-based multinational telecoms company BT Group has signed a $220 million (about R1.8 billion) contract with Anglo American, to deliver the diversified mining giant's global managed networked IT services over the next five years.

A renewal of the initial deal signed between the two international entities in 2007, the incumbent contract will cover all of Anglo American's networking requirements, at several hundred locations around the world, chiefly SA, Brazil, Chile, Australia and the UK.

With 70 500 permanent employees and 21 000 contractors in SA, Anglo American is one of the largest mining companies in the world and SA's largest private sector employer.

BT says it will deploy its BT Connect portfolio of “intelligent” networking solutions in 15 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe, including locations in remote mining areas. These will be provided using a number of technologies, such as Ethernet, multiprotocol label switching, satellite and microwave access.

Keith Matthews, BT's GM for Sub-Saharan Africa, says that - while the company is investing to reinforce its capabilities in the traditional criteria of speed, availability, reach and cost - it has also introduced a new dimension of network intelligence into its Connect portfolio.

“These include tools such as the BT Connect IQ Evaluator, which helps CIOs benchmark their network performance and find ways to fine-tune their networking solution; a unified management dashboard for the portfolio; enhanced self-service portal; Web performance monitoring services; and application performance management.”

Additionally, says BT, its Connect Applications service will be deployed at 65 locations around the world “to maximise the network performance and help prioritise Anglo American's business-critical applications”.

The contract also includes global Internet access, with a secure remote access solution for mobile workers, converged communications, conferencing solutions and network hardware equipment.

Matthews says BT has a proven track record when it comes to interconnecting Anglo American's remote operations and facilitating global operation. “We believe [the company] sees us as a trusted and respectful partner.”

Bas Burger, president of global commerce for BT global services, says nowadays companies are driving for leaner production processes due to the current economic climate. “Our portfolio of services and our investments in growing economies across Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle-East and Africa are designed to support the strategy of global organisations such as Anglo American.”

Mike Bowden, CIO and head of shared services at Anglo American, says BT has over the years facilitated the corporation's remote operations, allowing it to leverage its global scale and reapply best practice from wherever it is created to wherever it is needed. “We look forward to continuing our mutually respectful and beneficial relationship.”