September 26, 2013

Telenor Norway Signs IT Collaboration Agreement with Accenture


FORNEBU, Norway; Sept. 26, 2013 – Telenor Norway has entered into an IT collaboration agreement with Accenture (NYSE: ACN) to help manage the development and maintenance of IT systems within the mobile value chain. The collaboration will help improve services for Telenor’s customers and ensure faster introduction of new offers and products to the market.

Accenture will be responsible for managing some of Telenor Norway’s IT systems, including its web solutions, and systems related to sales, orders, and billing. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.

“Telenor is an engine within the development of telecommunications services in Norway and abroad. Now we are entering into a strategic cooperative relationship with Accenture, a leader in developing and delivering IT managed services. Accenture will help increase our expertise while providing us with great flexibility and extra capacity to resolve major tasks in the future,” said Berit Svendsen, CEO, Telenor Norway.

According to Svendsen, Norwegians’ use of mobiles has changed radically in the space of a few years, and services that did not exist just a short time ago are now among some of Telenor’s most important communications solutions.

“We are in the middle of an exciting technology shift that requires large IT investments and changes to our work processes,” Svendsen said. “Accenture is an innovative company with valuable international expertise that will help to strengthen us during this technology shift. They have several of the world’s leading telecommunications companies as customers, and with this experience they will help ensure that Telenor Norway continues to be a technology leader.”

As part of the agreement approximately 120 Telenor employees who currently work with relevant IT systems will be transferred to Accenture by December 1, 2013. Telenor Norway’s IT department will consist of around 300 employees after the transfer.

“We are very pleased that this agreement with Accenture also helps ensure that the necessary expertise is preserved through the transfer of highly qualified employees, who will work both with Telenor and other customers at Accenture,” said Svendsen.

“Helping clients achieve their broader business transformation goals through IT and other services is an important area of focus for Accenture. The agreement with Telenor -- a dynamic and global communications company – gives us an opportunity to work closely with them through an exciting period of change,” said Roy Grønli, Country Managing Director, Accenture Norway. “The combined efforts of our two companies’ highly skilled IT professionals will be focused on supplying the best services and solutions to Telenor’s customers.”

About Telenor Norway
Telenor Norway is the country’s largest provider of telecommunications and data services. Via its mobile and fixed networks, Telenor Norway provides services in telephony, broadband and cable TV to residential and business customers across the country. It also sells services to other telecom operators. Telenor Norway has 4200 employees in over 30 work locations around Norway, including Svalbard. Its headquarters is located at Fornebu in Oslo.

About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with approximately 266,000 personnel serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$27.9 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2012. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

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Contacts:

Torild Uribarri
Telenor Norway
+ 47 911 55 381 ,
torild.uribarri@telenor.com

Barbara Burgess
Accenture
+ 973 452 0694
barbara.burgess@accenture.com