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Bulgaria’s Vivacom picks Alcatel-Lucent
17 February 2010
Alcatel-Lucent is to take over network operations and 3,000 staff of Bulgarian operator BTC
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Alcatel-Lucent
managed services
Bulgaria
BTC
Vivacom
BTC has selected Alcatel-Lucent to run its fixed-line and mobile phone network operations. The Bulgarian group, which operates under theVivacom brand, is outsourcing its network operations to Alcatel-Lucent, to reduce costs.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The services division of the vendor will assume the responsibilities of BTC network’s technical and operational management on March 1 2010.
Andy Williams, head of Alcatel-Lucent’s services business, said the deal was the company’s most important so far in eastern Europe.
In a five-year deal, the Bulgarian company will move about 3,000 employees or almost half of its staff, to Alcatel-Lucent. The managed services contract will help BTC to reduce its operating expenses by 20% a year.
BTC controls 95% of the fixed-line services in Bulgaria. Major shareholder AIG agreed in September 2009 to dispose off a part of its asset management subsidiary, which included BTC, to Pacific Century Group. GTB