ANZ to Spend $500m on Managed Network and Services

Singtel-owned telco Optus is provide telecommunications and managed networks service to the ANZ bank under a new $500 million, five year contract.

Under the deal, Optus will provide global managed network services to ANZ in 30 countries across the Asia Pacific including Australia and the bank’s operations centre based in Bangalore, India.

The new services will support the bank’s super-regional expansion strategy and increase the performance and reliability of its networks.

Under the contract Singtel provide a single platform for the delivery of voice, data and managed services to more than 34,000 staff through the region. Some 20,000 IP phones and 40 video conferencing units will be deployed through the region.

Optus will manage the roll out of a new data network to more than 850 ANZ retail branches and also manage the bank’s call centre infrastructure.

ANZ group managing director, operations, technology, shared services, David Cartwright said the consolidated approach to telecommunications services would help support the bank’s growth strategy across the region.

“It will give it a cost effective solution to our telecommunication needs and support the delivery of reliable and convenient banking services to our customers,” he said in an ASX statement.

The introduction of advanced video conferencing facilities would allow greater collaboration between staff, Cartwright said. The bank would also look to use these new capabilities to give its customers in remote locations the ability to interact directly with the bank’s staff.

The announcement follows the April announcement by the Commonwealth Bank (CBA) that it had selected Telstra to deliver a 10 year, up to $1 billion, managed service contract ahead of a planned telecommunications network upgrade aimed at creating a future-proof IT platform.

Under that outsourcing deal, worth up to $100 million per year, Telstra is to provide next generation telecommunications capabilities and fully managed services to the bank’s branches, contact centres, eftpos network and non-branch ATMs.

In related news, the ANZ has also announced that has had a management reshuffle appointing Graham Hodges as Acting Chief Executive Officer Australia following a decision by Brian Hartzer to leave ANZ to pursue his career in international banking.

Hodges was formerly managing director ANZ national Bank in New Zealand.