ING SAYS YES TO OPTUS

Optus signs three-year whole of business contract with the ING Group in Australia

Optus and the ING Group in Australia have signed a three-year whole of business telecommunications contract worth approximately A$16 million.

Optus will provide ING with an innovative managed telecommunications solution for all voice and data services.

Bill Leakey, Director for Optus Business said in addition to managed voice services, Optus would provide managed data services to ING, allowing it to supply a fully secure domestic intranet to its business and a completely secure extranet to interact with its financial adviser networks.

"ING can be confident that when conducting business over its intranet and extranet, security is assured," Mr Leakey said.

"Business-grade security enables high value transactions and sensitive data to be delivered to employees and partners, whilst still achieving optimum service levels."

The deal will provide ING with full inventory management of its telecommunications services for the first time, and will include an end-to-end online view of its billed services.

Mr Rod Greenaway, Technology Consultant for ING said, "Optus presented us with flexible, innovative and cost-effective solutions and we are confident that our partnership with them will support continued growth in our business.

"We are impressed with Optus' capabilities in the voice, data and IP market which made them a good choice for ING. They have the ability to deliver telecommunications services to the business rapidly and with minimum risk," Mr Greenaway said.

The managed data services will be available via Optus' carrier grade data Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Internet Protocol (IP) backbone. In addition, Optus will provide managed telephony solutions to all end users, a single point of contact help desk and a web hosting service from Optus' premium grade data facility in Ultimo.

Media contact:
Luisa Ford
Optus Corporate Affairs
Phone: +61 2 9342 5045

Craig Thomas
ING Group
Phone: +61 2 9234 6484