Virtual network operator Vanco has signed a 18.9 million deal with Supermarket chain Somerfield to provide a managed telecommunications service.
The contract will see Vanco provide services across 887 UK sites, including 873 stores, 11 Depot locations, Somerfield's HQ and its data centre in Bristol.
Vanco will design, install and manage the supermarket's WAN, internet and firewall services. It will also take over the management and maintenance of all LANs, PBX and legacy PSTN/ISDN infrastructure, including call minutes. Vanco will also migrate and manage all existing third party contracts.
The operator will provide its MPLS Matrix product for the depots, Ethernet for the head office and private ADSL for the Stores. This, it said, will provide Somerfield with a "highly resilient, scaleable WAN solution which facilitates the addition of future services such as hosted IP Telephony."
Richard Beale, Somerfield's procurement director said the deal would drive down IT costs "but could also give us enough flexibility for future requirements like VoIP."
"With Vanco's new network solution we will realise substantial cost savings immediately and further savings from annual negotiations. In addition we can now connect new stores easily and fast," he said.
