Lenovo-IBM services deal

Lenovo has signed a five-year deal with IBM to provide services and support to Lenovo customers.

The deal could be worth up to US$245 million (NZ$360 million) for IBM.

Lenovo plans to expand the services it offers customers with the addition of “fee-based technical support, installation, deployment and other PC-related services,” according to the companies.

Lenovo did not reveal when the new services will be introduced, but they are likely to come soon.

In a statement, Lenovo spokeswoman Angela Lee declined to offer details of the new services, but said many of them are intended for consumers and small-business users — markets that Lenovo is keen to crack outside China, and particularly in the US.

Lenovo bought IBM’s PC business in December 2004.