IT Scan

May 12, 2005
Microsoft, TCS to deliver connected services to telecom providers

NEW DELHI -- Microsoft Corp. and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Ltd., leading global IT consulting, solutions, services and business process outsourcing (BPO) firm, recently collaborated on several key initiatives, including implementation of the Microsoft Connected Services Framework with telecommunications providers. This comes as an extension of their ongoing strategy to deliver IT solutions to global companies more effectively.

Microsoft Connected Services Framework is an integrated, server-based software solution that allows telecommunications operators and service providers to create, aggregate and provision converged communications services across multiple networks and a range of device types. The Connected Services Framework helps wireless and wireline operators reduce cost and time of service deployment, utilize existing infrastructure, and generate additional revenue through new services.

Already achieving early success in deploying Connected Services Framework with major service providers, TCS and Microsoft Consulting Services are now working together to deliver an integrated IT solution to BT Retail, to help enable BT Retail roll out affordable and easy-to-use Web-based services to small businesses.

In addition to the facilities in the United States, TCS has established a dedicated Microsoft Solutions Center in Hungary to provide rapid, localized response and expertise to customers in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) market. TCS also foresees a substantial number of opportunities in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region around Connected Services Framework.

Anita Nanadikar, global head of e-business - technologies at TCS, said: "We are extremely pleased to extend our long-standing collaboration with Microsoft to jointly provide leading-edge solutions such as Microsoft Connected Services Framework to the telecommunications industry. Together, our efforts on Connected Services Framework mark the latest step in the global systems integration alliance between TCS and Microsoft, one that will bring greater value to our customers."

AS Lakshminarayanan, vice president and country manager, TCS, UK and Ireland, commented: "TCS is investing heavily in the infrastructure and resources to deliver solutions including Microsoft Connected Services Framework to telecommunications customers such as BT Retail,"

Maria Martinez, corporate vice president, Communications Sector, Microsoft, added: "The combination of Microsoft's platform innovation and TCS' global software delivery model represents a win-win for our customers. The solutions we are providing together, such as Microsoft Connected Services Framework, help our customers speed time to market for new services, reduce deployment and ongoing operational costs, and recognize operational efficiencies - all critical elements in gaining the edge in today's highly competitive environment. Building on our work to date, we are focused on replicating the success we've had with carriers such as BT and further driving the adoption of software-powered service networks."

Contact:
Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.
Tel: + 91-22-56689999
pradipta.bagchi@tcs.com
www.tcs.com