BT and HP Sign Agreement With Hertz Europe Ltd
BT and HP Alliance to deliver pan-European IT and networking service
LONDON, Sept. 8 -- BT and HP today announced a European IT and networking services contract with Hertz Europe Ltd. The five year contract will allow Hertz to benefit from the strategic alliance first announced by BT and HP in 2004(1).
Together, BT and HP will supply Hertz with a wide range of IT and networking services. These include an Internet Protocol (IP) based Virtual Private Network (VPN)(2) that utilises DSL access technology to connect Hertz's corporate headquarters with more than 1,100 rental station sites across Europe. Additionally, BT and HP will support more than 5,000 desktop devices, 3,000 printers and 148 servers and will take over responsibility for outbound voice requirements from and between Hertz headquarter and rental locations. BT and HP will also manage inbound voice services delivered to Hertz's central reservations centre and provide a centrally managed e-procurement system.
Hertz will also benefit from the delivery of a common and standardised IT and network service, as well as consistent service levels and reporting. The contract encompasses Hertz Europe Ltd's corporate operations in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
David Trimm, vice president business systems, Hertz, said: "In a competitive market, we're always looking for new ways to maintain our position as the world's number one and to constantly seek ways to improve our service delivery and efficiency. This deal with BT will allow us to take advantage of seamless delivery across Europe as well as being in a position to tap further into BT and HP's expertise in delivering innovative and transformational technologies in the future."
Andy Green, CEO, BT Global Services, said: "Today's digital networked economy is enabling businesses worldwide to re-think and innovate their corporate IT. Through this agreement, Hertz will benefit from our combined knowledge and expertise, and will be able to exploit new IT strategies that will help differentiate it from the rest of the market. This deal is a great example of how our alliance with HP is able to offer businesses the competitive advantage they need."
Francesco Serafini, senior vice president and managing director, EMEA and Technology Solutions Group, HP, said: "With the convergence of IT and telecoms, customers are increasingly looking for a single contract for all their IT and telecoms needs. Hertz's decision to work with BT in alliance with HP illustrates this evolution of market requirements. BT and HP are leading the way in forming strategic alliances that can deliver customers the services their businesses need."
This deal will allow Hertz Europe Ltd to continue to provide its European customer base with the highest level of vehicle rental service.
Notes to editors
1. In May 2004, BT and HP announced plans to develop a strategic go-to-
market alliance to address mutual growth opportunities in the global IT
and networking marketplace. As the communications and IT sectors
converge, the alliance presents a major opportunity for BT and HP to
utilise their combined capabilities in delivering enhanced service
offerings to the growing global IT and networking market. For further
information, please visit
http://www.btplc.com/News/Articles/Showarticle.cfm?ArticleID=a124e3eb-
a83f-457e-9037-34aee0bedde2
2. This network is based on multi-protocol label switching (MPLS)
technology. In addition, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks will
connect smaller rental sites into the MPLS backbone
About Hertz
Hertz is the world's largest car rental organisation operating from over 7,400 corporate locations in more than 150 countries with an annual fleet purchase in excess of 500,000 vehicles, generating 25 million transactions each year (one every second!) and is recognised as one of the world's top 100 brands.
To maintain and build its market position Hertz is totally customer focused and committed to developing value-added initiatives that make both corporate and leisure vehicle rental hassle-free. Further more, Hertz provides extra equipment such as ski racks, child seats and satellite navigation systems as well as offering different types of insurance and gasoline payment methods.
Hertz also adds value through its award-winning Customer Service Centres based in state-of-the-art, ergonomically designed buildings in Dublin, Ireland and Oklahoma City, USA. Additionally, in 1996, Hertz was the first car rental company to introduce on-line booking and is currently working with some of the world's biggest technology providers to develop innovative on-line booking solutions.
After nearly 90 years and as the world continues to change, Hertz will continue to lead the car rental market through by being loyal to its core values and developing innovative customer solutions.
http://www.hertz.com/ About HP
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended July 31, 2005, HP revenue totaled $85.2 billion. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com/ .
About BT
BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions serving customers in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific. Its principal activities include networked IT services, local, national and international telecommunications services, and higher-value broadband and internet products and services.
BT consists principally of three lines of business:
* BT Retail, providing a comprehensive range of communications and related
services to more than 20m UK consumers and businesses.
* BT Wholesale, providing network services and solutions within the UK to
more than 600 fixed and mobile operators and service providers including
the provision of broadband and private circuits.
* BT Global Services, providing networked IT services to meet the needs of
multi-site organisations globally. BT Global Services operates in more
than 130 countries and also offers international carrier services.
In the year ended 31 March 2005, BT Group's turnover was 18,623 million pounds Sterling with profit before goodwill amortisation, exceptional items and taxation of 2,085 million pounds.
BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York. British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group.
For more information, visit http://www.bt.com/aboutbt
This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they ever materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward- looking statements, including the expected development, performance or rankings of products or services; statements of expectation or belief; and any statement of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the development, performance and market acceptance of products and services and other risks that are described from time to time in HP's Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including but not limited to HP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2005, and other reports filed after HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31, 2004. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.