SingTel wins $500m contract with ANZ

Optus says a new five-year contract with ANZ Banking Group Ltd is a landmark in its
battle against Telstra Corp for the corporate dollar.
Optus will oversee the implementation of a new data network to over 850 ANZ retail
branches across Australia as part of a $500 million contract won by its parent,
Singapore Telecommunications Ltd.
Optus will also manage ANZ's call centre infrastructure.
"For us it is a bit of a landmark," Optus Business managing director John Simon told
AAP.
"Banks have given Optus business in the past, and other telcos business, but they've
never moved all their business away from Telstra."
SingTel said it would transform ANZ's network infrastructure across the Asia Pacific
region, improving its global communication by providing one platform for the
delivery of voice, data and managed services to ANZ's 34,000 staff.
SingTel will deploy over 20,000 IP telephones and 40 video conferencing units.
"You look at the telco market for corporate and government markets and there aren't
many organisations that would be spending $100 million a year on their
telecommunications ... so this is as big as they get," Mr Simon said.
ANZ technology and shared services managing director David Cartwright said the
contract was key to the bank's growth in Asia.
"This consolidated approach to telecommunications services will help support our
growth strategy across the region," he said in a statement.
"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."
Mr Simon said Optus would look to develop a close relationship with ANZ as a result
of this work.
"We don't just look at this as a five-year contract, we look at this as a very
long-term relationship that we have entered into," he said.
SingTel shares closed down 10 cents, or 4.1 per cent, at $2.34.
Telstra last month won a 10-year contract to provide telecommunications services for
Commonwealth Bank of Australia worth up to $100 million each year.
A Telstra spokesman said the telco also had contracts with Westpac Banking
Corporation and National Australia Bank Ltd.