O2 signs major mobile comms deal with BSkyB

O2 hopes the deal will pave the way for business outside of mobile

BSkyB has selected O2 to provide voice and data services for its corporate mobile business.

The deal will see the network operator provide 10,000 connections over a two-year contract, with services covering a wide range of devices including iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and mobile broadband.

"We are in the process of project managing the implementation, and as it is the largest mobile contract of the year for us, it will probably take us up until the end of the fourth quarter to complete," said David Plumb, general manager, enterprise for O2 in the UK.

"There will be a porting process, which means that we will bring over the devices in batches, swap the SIMS, make sure the old numbers move over with the change, and provide training for the users," he added.

"We want to make sure it's all done with good customer service and that they don't lose any service during the transition."

O2 also indicated that it hopes to pick up further business from BSkyB off the back of the deal.

"We are looking to develop a strategic relationship with BSkyB as part of our broader strategy, with regard to our Joined up Business offerings," said Plumb.

O2's Joined up Business is divided into four distinct lots:

• Joined up Communications – mobile phones, fixed lines, data services.

• Joined up People – helping clients and their employees to enable flexible working.

• Joined up IT – offering cloud services, which include various wide and local area network hosting solutions.

• Joined up Customers – helping its clients build their relationship with their customers through text messaging and geo-location marketing.

O2's deal with BSkyB currently only falls under Joined up Communications, but Plumb hopes that it will pick up business in the other three areas.

"I absolutely see this as paving the way for Sky to take up some of these other offerings," he said.

"They are obviously a new customer of ours but we want to develop our relationship with them," he added.

"I think the greatest challenge is being able to demonstrate value on a broader scale. We must show Sky that we can break out of mobile and that we have more to offer."