CWO retains Airservices deal

Airservices Australia has renewed its communications contract with Cable & Wireless Optus in a six-year, $42 million deal to provide satellite and land-based communications. Under the new deal, which is an extension of an existing contract with CWO that is due to expire, CWO will continue to supply satellite services to Airservices, but will also provide ATM and frame relay services. www.cwo.com.auMining data onlineA new trading community is being created to bring together buyers and sellers of minerals exploration, extraction and processing. Telecommunications and Internet provider Primus Telecom is to join with the Joseph Gutnick network of mining companies to create - under the auspices of the Gutnick companies' Web entity Baynet - a neutral portal where mining industry members will be able to procure goods and services in a secure environment. www.primus.comNZ lacks Web vision, IDC SaysMore than a quarter of New Zealand CIOs say corporate vision - or the lack of it - is an obstacle to Internet exploitation. It's rated the third-highest problem after security and lack of in-house skills, both here and in Australia. IDC's InTEP program manager Peter Hind highlighted the issue at the analyst's annual Directions briefing on the state of IT in New Zealand. "Executive feet are not on the ground with e-commerce," Hind says. "And once the false e-commerce promises materialise, the CIO will be the scapegoat for the gullibility of the business." www.idcresearch.co.nzEnd-to-end voice over IPThe Australian Catholic University (ACU) and Cisco Systems has launched the Asia Pacific region's first end-to-end voice over IP telephony system. The new system will allow ACU to ensure cost-effective delivery of voice, data and multimedia information to more than 10,000 students at six campuses stretching from Ballarat (Vic) to Brisbane (Qld). www.acu.edu.au