Fonterra has gone live with the first of what it calls its direct telecommunications infrastructure services through Telecom's IT services unit Gen-i. Gen-i will provide wide area network (WAN) infrastructure and management services for Fonterra’s New Zealand and Australian sites, and desk telephony for the company's 47 global sites. Local area network (LAN) services for the New Zealand and Australian sites will shift to Gen-i later this year.
The services were previously provided by third-party suppliers through EDS.
AT&T will provide WAN and LAN infrastructure and management services for Fonterra’s sites located outside of New Zealand and Australia.
Fonterra’s chief information officer, Chris Barendregt, says the move to direct telecommunications infrastructure services will provide more flexibility and reduce costs.
EDS will continue to be Fonterra’s supplier globally for core IT services hosting and storage; datacentre management, desktop support, IT security and a centralised help desk, he says.
Ownership of IT assets, technology strategy and architecture will return to Fonterra.