BellSouth to Outsource Full Range of Applications Software to Accenture
NEW YORK, and ATLANTA, GA, Dec. 12, 2001 - Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE: BLS) announced today that Accenture will manage additional applications and projects for the software backbone of BellSouth’s telephone and Internet services, under an expansion of an existing outsourcing agreement between the two companies.
The expanded agreement, which includes an extension of the original contract to 2007 and takes effect January 1, covers a range of information technology (IT) applications that support BellSouth’s local and Internet-based communications services to residential and business customers in the United States. As such, it is one of the most comprehensive outsourcing arrangements of its kind by a major U.S. communications services provider.
In 1998, BellSouth selected Accenture to help it achieve improved service levels, on-budget performance and on-time delivery. As an expansion of that agreement, Accenture will support numerous applications, including customer care, network, billing, marketing, finance, Web services, human resources and payroll, across all of BellSouth’s operations in the United States. Approximately 275 of BellSouth’s IT professionals will become Accenture employees.
"This agreement will take our relationship with BellSouth to a new level as we share the risks and gains and collaborate not just to provide top-notch support, but to help transform business processes for competitive advantage in an accelerated timeframe," said Joe W. Forehand, Accenture chairman and CEO.
"Information technology plays a critical role in enabling BellSouth to achieve its strategic goals of entering the long distance business, rapidly expanding DSL subscriptions and aggressively managing costs," said Fran Dramis, BellSouth’s chief information and e-commerce officer. "Having worked successfully together in the past to meet business and technology objectives, we are confident Accenture can help us meet these goals."
About BellSouth
BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 100 communications services company headquartered in Atlanta, GA, serving more than 46 million customers in the United States and 15 other countries.
Consistently recognized for customer satisfaction, BellSouth provides a full array of broadband data and e-commerce solutions to business customers, including Web hosting and other Internet services. In the residential market, BellSouth offers DSL high-speed Internet access, advanced voice features and other services. BellSouth also provides online and directory advertising services, including BellSouth® Real PagesSM.com.
BellSouth owns 40 percent of Cingular Wireless, the nation’s second largest wireless company, which provides innovative wireless data and voice services.
About Accenture
Accenture is the world’s leading management and technology consulting organization. Through its network of businesses approach - in which the company enhances its consulting and outsourcing expertise through alliances, ventures and other capabilities - Accenture delivers innovations that help clients across all industries quickly realize their visions. With more than 75,000 people in 47 countries, the company generated net revenues of $11.44 billion for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2001. Its home page is http://www.accenture.com.
###
Peg Bernhardt
(404) 249-3195
Alex Pachetti
+1 (917) 452 5519