Tata Communications and Dimension Data Partner to Accelerate Global TelePresence Market

By Prne, Gaea News Network
Sunday, April 5, 2009

SINGAPORE and JOHANNESBURG - Offering Comprehensive Managed Telepresence Services Worldwide

Tata Communications, a leading provider of the new world of communications, and Dimension Data, the $4.5-billion specialist IT services and solutions provider, have signed an agreement to support the Cisco Systems Telepresence suite of products on a worldwide basis.

Dimension Data, one of a select few Cisco partners with TelePresence Global Authorized Technology Provider (ATP) status, has the skills to sell, design, install, and support Cisco Telepresence in 47 countries. In addition, Dimension Data will be using the Tata Communications global WAN to connect our own internal TelePresence endpoints. In a flexible model for clients, Tata Communications, part of the $62.5 billion Tata Group, and Dimension Data, will together provide the entire suite of services, including bandwidth, Telepresence hardware, support, maintenance and a fully managed service.

Both organisations said that the global agreement aligns well with their go-to-market model and provides a ‘compelling offering’ for clients. “One significant benefit is that clients will be able to procure the hardware on either a capex or opex model, explained Dimension Data’s Group Executive: Global Solutions, Dimension Data Holdings PLC, Steve Joubert.

According to John Landau, Senior Vice President of Global Managed Services at Tata Communications, “Our vision is to be the leading provider of Telepresence meetings - within enterprises as well as with their ecosystem of customers, suppliers and partners. Our partnership with Dimension Data enables us to deliver comprehensive managed Telepresence services to companies around the world”

According to a MarketScope for Video Telepresence Solutions report published by Gartner (21 April 2008), and authored by Rich Costello and Scott Morrison: “by 2010, Gartner expects telepresence to generate $600 million in annual equipment revenue worldwide. With services included, total telepresence market revenue could reach $1.5 billion annually by 2010.” Gartner said “Although we feel that the high cost of these solutions will limit broad market penetration, large organizations with a business case for telepresence, as well as the financial resources to purchase and support it, make telepresence a “promising” enterprise market technology.”

Mr Joubert added,” Our partnership with Tata Communications reduces barriers to adoption and increases accessibility of TelePresence to a much broader audience to communicate and collaborate in real-time.”

Tata Communications is the market-leading provider of Telepresence services with a comprehensive offering for enterprises’ ecosystem of users globally. The service includes Cisco-certified TelePresence network, a hosted and managed service, the world’s first public rooms and soon, the world’s first open global Telepresence exchange. Tata Communications currently has public rooms in India - Mumbai, Bangalore (2), Chennai, Hyderabad and Gurgaon; London and Boston, with plans to expand their network of rooms significantly around the world by the end of 2009.

For further information on Tata Communications Telepresence Services and Dimension Data, visit

www.tatacommunications.com/telepresence or www.dimensiondata.com

About Tata Communications

Tata Communications, a member of the $62.5 billion Tata Group, is a leading global provider of a new world of communications. The emerging markets communications leader leverages its advanced solutions capabilities and domain expertise across its global and pan-India network to deliver managed solutions to multi-national and Indian enterprises, service providers and Indian consumers.

Tata Communications’ range of services include transmission, IP, converged voice, mobility, managed network connectivity, hosting and storage, managed security, managed collaboration and business transformation for global enterprises and service providers, as well as Internet, retail broadband and content services for Indian consumers. The Tata Global Network encompasses one of the most advanced and largest submarine cable networks, a Tier-1 IP network, with connectivity to more than 200 countries across 300 Pops, and more than 1 million square feet of data center and co-location facilities.

Tata Communications’ unique emerging market depth and breadth of reach includes a national fiber backbone network and access to network in over 60 cities and 125 Pops in India, strategic investments in South African converged services operator, Neotel, Sri Lanka and Nepal and, subject to fulfillment of conditions precedent, a 50% ownership in China Enterprise Communications (CEC) providing full country VPN coverage in China.

Servicing customers from its offices in over 80 cities in 40 countries, Tata Communications is the number one global international wholesale voice operator and number one provider of international long distance, enterprise data and Internet services in India, the Company was named “Best Wholesale Carrier” at the World Communications Awards in 2006, “Best Pan-Asian Wholesale Provider” at the 2006 and 2007 Capacity Magazine Global Wholesale Telecommunications Awards and was awarded “Best Progress in Emerging Markets” at the 2008 Mobile Communication Awards.

Tata Communications Limited along with its global subsidiaries, (Tata Communications), is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India and its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. (NYSE: TCL)

About Dimension Data

Dimension Data plc (LSE:DDT), a specialist IT services and solution provider, helps clients plan, build, support and manage their IT infrastructures. Dimension Data applies its expertise in networking, converged communications, security, Microsoft, storage and contact centre technologies and its unique skills in consulting, integration and managed services to create customised client solutions.

Forward-looking and cautionary statements

Certain words and statements in this release concerning Tata Communications and its prospects, and other statements, including those relating to Tata Communications’ expected financial position, business strategy, the future development of Tata Communications’ operations, and the general economy in India, are forward-looking statements. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including financial, regulatory and environmental, as well as those relating to industry growth and trend projections, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Tata Communications, or industry results, to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, among others, failure to increase the volume of traffic on Tata Communications’ network; failure to develop new products and services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; failure to successfully complete commercial testing of new technology and information systems to support new products and services, including voice transmission services; failure to stabilize or reduce the rate of price compression on certain of the company’s communications services; failure to integrate strategic acquisitions and changes in government policies or regulations of India and, in particular, changes relating to the administration of Tata Communications’ industry; and, in general, the economic, business and credit conditions in India. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, many of which are not in Tata Communications’ control, include, but are not limited to, those risk factors discussed in Tata Communications’ various filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Tata Communications is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements.

Media Contacts: Lee Ann Lim Tata Communications +1-703-999-1726 Leeann.lim@tatacommunications.com Hilary King Dimension Data +27-82-414-9623 Hilary.king@za.didata.com Media Agency STC Associates +1-212-725-1900 x204 kristen@stcassociates.com / vetri@stcassociates.com

Source: Tata Communications Limited

Media Contacts: Lee Ann Lim, Tata Communications, +1-703-999-1726, Leeann.lim at tatacommunications.com; Hilary King, Dimension Data, +27-82-414-9623, Hilary.king at za.didata.com; Media Agency, STC Associates, +1-212-725-1900 x204, kristen at stcassociates.com / vetri at stcassociates.com

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