Qantas will outsource its desktop service and LAN environment management in a five-year, managed services agreement with Telstra for the supply of desktop services and management of the airline's worldwide LAN environment.
Telstra Enterprise Services (TES), a wholly owned subsidiary of Telstra, will manage the outsourcing, which includes more than 40,000 IT devices.
All business locations currently supported by Qantas Information Technology will be covered under the new contract. CIO Fiona Balfour said the five-year agreement would deliver an efficient managed service.
"TES offers us optimum access to new technology-based services and a pool of IT skills as we move from a technology-driven approach to service-driven delivery across the business," Balfour said. "We have worked closely with TES over recent months to ensure a smooth transition for the IT team and Qantas staff."
Under the contract, TES will initially manage Qantas-owned equipment, and own all new equipment purchased in that period.
The transition process starts tomorrow and is expected to take 12 months.
The announcement follows the launch of an e-business initiative earlier this month. Named eQ, the initiative involves a series of projects looking at ways to reduce complexity and increase business efficiency through a new technology based working environment.