UK, 13 October 2009: Reed Specialist Recruitment, one of the UK's most successful specialist recruitment agencies, has signed a three-year managed service contract with Azzurri Communications for the provision, support and management of a Wide Area Network (WAN) and Telephony estate. The £10 million flexible contract will deliver significant savings, reliable service management and ensure Reed has access to the best and most appropriate Voice & Data communications technologies over the three year term.

Azzurri originally designed and deployed Reed's UK Wide Area Network in 2005; this network now underpins 300 high street branches in the UK, a significant number of international offices, as well as reed.co.uk. When the contract came to re-tendering, Sean Whetstone, Head of IT Services for Reed, decided to stick with Azzurri: "When Azzurri say they can save you money, they mean it. They have delivered on every cost saving initiative they have promised, including a 27% saving over the course of our last contract compared with what we were paying our previous network provider."

Despite the economic downturn, competition remains high in the employment sector and real-time information is crucial to both clients and jobseekers. Underpinning this requirement is the dependency on a robust yet integrated communications infrastructure. Azzurri's Virtual Network Operator (VNO) model sits at the core of the flexible contract, bringing together multiple Internet carriers, voice services, products and technologies to create a fully resilient and application-aware network fabric, designed to provide Reed maximum commercial and technical agility.

Whetstone explains: "The big Telco carriers generally have very rigid contracts. You buy a network of a defined type for a set period of time, with little room for manoeuvre if your circumstances change. This doesn't work for us as a business as we need to be agile. So with Azzurri, we have an overarching framework for our network provision, under which we gain from a blend of different technologies from different providers. Each technology is fit for purpose, or the best value, or the best technology - for example, our broadband, our MPLS (multi-protocol label switching) and our Ethernet are all provided by different suppliers, but managed for us by Azzurri."

Having already helped to significantly reduce Reed's communications spend over the last three years, Azzurri will continue to refresh the managed service over the life of the new contract to assess and deploy best-price rates and best of breed products and suppliers, and provide first-rate service management.

Whetstone said, "We've never re-signed with any supplier for our network provision and management so it is testament to the value Azzurri has added to our business over the last three years. One example that stands out is when we recently won an Australian government contract to open nine new branches in Queensland and Victoria. We needed a datacentre up and running in an insanely short timescale and Azzurri took ownership and delivered the network on-time and to budget, a fantastic achievement."

Jason Standerwick, Sales and Marketing Director of Azzurri Communications said, "When Reed first signed the WAN contract with us three years ago, they told us that the ‘proof of the pudding was in the eating', and that the Reed Board of Directors was looking forward to the cost savings. Three years later, it's clear we've done exactly what we promised and delivered substantial savings. As a result we've been re-engaged to continue to drive out cost whilst providing Reed with a highly efficient network through a flexible contract, that future proofs them as much as possible."

About Azzurri Communications
Azzurri is transforming the way organisations use communication and information technology. We are a leading managed services company delivering flexible voice, data and mobile communications. Ours is one of the largest independent network management and support teams providing converged solutions that are no-longer tied to technology and supplier.

At the core of our managed service is our Virtual Network Operator (VNO) capability. As a VNO, freedom and flexibility distinguish us from our competitors. We give you the flexibility to change and adapt to new requirements and technologies.

With increased agility our customers gain a competitive edge, and with dramatic savings and management information they have total control of their voice, data and mobile infrastructure.

Azzurri Communications was formed in June 2000 and is headquartered in the UK, offering global access to sales, service and support to customers in 130 countries.

Contact Information:
Dan Roche
PR Manager
Azzurri Communications ltd
m: 07824 819159
e: dan.roche@azzu.co.uk

Further information (external website)