Brisbane Council: Optus kicks Telstra out

Optus has secured a seven-year managed network services and network refresh deal with Brisbane City Council, leaving incumbent supplier Telstra out of the picture.

The council plans to commence a major network refresh using Cisco equipment, which will link around 200 of the council's sites via an IP-based communications network. The deal was signed early last week with the complete transition to Optus' services due by June 2010, according to an Optus spokesperson.

The refresh includes the deployment of a Cisco-based IP telephony system for around 8000 of the council's staff with Optus also contracted to build the council's new IP customer call centre.

The telco won the deal from incumbent provider, Telstra, which was under a three-year extension period with the council from a deal the two had inked in 2002.

The council will also move all its fixed line, mobile and data services to Optus, which will also manage the council's 3500 mobile phones.

"While the Queensland State Government has been a major customer and partner of Optus for some time, this agreement with Brisbane City Council represents a significant win for us in the Queensland local government sector," John Simon, managing director, Optus Enterprise and Business Group said in a statement.

The win for Optus follows two recent managed network services contracts with Australian and New Zealand Banking Group and the Australian Taxation Office. Telstra, however, also recently won a massive deal with Commonwealth Bank of Australia.