SINGTEL TO SUPPORT ANZ'S SUPER REGIONAL STRATEGY

Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) today announced it had reached an agreement with ANZ on a A$500 million, five year contract to provide telecommunications and managed network services.

As part of the contract, SingTel and its wholly owned subsidiary, Optus Networks Pty Limited (Optus), will provide global managed network services to ANZ in Australia and 30 countries across Asia and the Pacific, including ANZ's technology and operations centre in Bangalore, India to support ANZ's super regional strategy.

SingTel Executive Vice President of Business, Bill Chang said: "This is an exciting time for SingTel as we support ANZ's expansion in Asia. As Asia's leading communications group, SingTel has the knowledge and experience to support ANZ's Super Regional ambitions. Together with Optus we want to enable ANZ to achieve its goals in the region with our superior performance, reliability and one-stop ICT solutions capabilities."

As part of the agreement, SingTel will transform ANZ's network infrastructure to support enhanced global communication, providing a single platform for the delivery of voice, data and managed services to more than 34,000 staff. This will include the deployment of more than 20,000 IP telephones and 40 advanced video conferencing units across the region. In Australia, Optus will also manage the roll out of a new data network to more than 850 ANZ retail branches, as well as end-to-end management of call centre infrastructure.

ANZ Group Managing Director, Operations, Technology and Shared Services, David Cartwright said: "This consolidated approach to telecommunications services will help support our growth strategy across the region. It will give us a cost effective solution to our telecommunications needs and support the delivery of reliable and convenient banking services to our customers.

"With SingTel's support, we also have the potential to introduce new technologies such as advanced video conferencing facilities to allow greater collaboration for our staff and, over time, to look at other options such as the use of video conferencing to give branch customers in remote locations the ability to talk to our banking specialists," Mr Cartwright said.

SingTel's Mr Chang said: "SingTel is at the forefront of driving ICT innovation. We will leverage our innovation capabilities and assets to support ANZ in developing additional channels and products for ANZ customers across Asia and Australia."

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