Gaborone: The De Beers Group selected BT for a range of IT and networking services with a six year contract and at a cost of $37 million. BT will orchestrate IT services across 70 De Beers locations, including exploration and mining sites, drawing on capabilities of the BT Connect portfolio that provides fiber optic, microwave and satellite linkages, as well as BT Web — a virtual private network for Internet access and backup. BT will also manage video and audio-conferencing services for De Beers through BT One Voice telephony.

BT will also help De Beers customize its network to meeting changing business needs and prioritize critical business applications that are accessed across global operations.

Craig Charlton, the chief information officer of De Beers Group, said, “Whether it’s connecting our mining assets or our global distribution network, we need a partner with a strong track record. Using BT’s network will better connect our global operations.”

Luis Alvarez, the CEO of BT Global Services, said, “IT has become an art as much as a science. We’re working together with De Beers to orchestrate people, applications and systems around highly-tuned intelligent networks to deliver the best performance at the most competitive cost. BT networks will bring together all De Beers sites whether they’re in the frozen north of Canada, which can only be reached in person for three months of the year, or the far reaches of Botswana. This is a master class in the art of connecting, all designed to deliver stunning business outcomes.”