UCS Solutions, a division of UCS Group, today announced a strategic partnership with Internet Solutions (IS) to strengthen their combined market offerings with effect from 1 November 2006.
The collaboration recognises the opportunities unlocked by the convergence of various technologies to provide a wider group of customers with a more comprehensive range of services. The agreement focuses on six defined areas of collaboration and revenue sharing:
* Provisioning of network services
* UCS Group Financial switching and value-added services
* Arrangements
* Distributed infrastructure support
* Data centre hosting
* Product sales
The existing products and services of UCS are expected to complement and enhance the overall basket of options available to the IS network community, effectively positioning the partnership as a flexible, innovative and customer-oriented market player.
The parties have embarked on a joint planning process for the implementation of the sale of the going concern business and the broader strategic partnership which will incorporate further contractual arrangements between the network provider and the various trading subsidiary companies within the UCS Group.
Richard Newton, CEO of UCS Solutions, commented: "We are delighted to partner with Internet Solutions to significantly improve and strengthen our combined service offering. Internet Solutions' leadership position, innovative approach and evident work synergies were key considerations in this venture. We expect to broaden this initial strategic partnership with further contractual arrangements between Internet Solutions and the various trading subsidiary companies within the UCS Group."
Angus MacRobert, CEO of Internet Solutions, commented: "This is an attractive growth opportunity for both parties. We joined forces to effectively leverage off our respective market leading positions. The combined solutions offering is to be innovative and flexible while maintaining a customer-centric approach and harnessing UCS's particular strength in the retail and government vertical market sectors. We can now serve the widest range of customers with distributed locations."
Share
UCS is an IT business with a primary focus on the provision of software, solutions and services for selected markets. UCS has achieved a leadership position in the retail market sector in South Africa and is well positioned for further growth locally and internationally through a number of defined initiatives. The major portion of UCS's revenues is derived from the provision of its own software, solutions and services, rather than the sale of third-party products. UCS is listed in the Software and Computer Services sector of the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa since September 1998.
Refer to www.ucs.co.za for more information.
UCS Solutions
UCS Solutions forms part of the software solutions and outsourcing services division of the UCS Group. UCS Solutions specialises in business and IT solutions for the retail and manufacturing industries though its end-to-end consulting, business systems outsourcing and technology services across a full range of IT operations. UCS Solutions has relationships with 13 of the top 15 major retailers in South Africa.
Refer to www.ucs-solutions.co.za for more information.
Internet Solutions
Internet Solutions (IS) is South Africa's leading Internet service provider. Over the past 12 years, IS has diversified its offerings to become a converged communication service provider providing the infrastructure, bandwidth and support services that enable people and businesses to share information and interact with one another - anywhere, at any time, over any protocol. Founded in 1995, IS provides services to more than 80% of South Africa's top 250 listed companies with over 4 500 valued customers.
Refer to www.is.co.za for more information.
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