Ericsson has signed a seven-year managed services contract with FASTWEB, the Italian operator owned by the Swisscom Group, which includes data-center consolidation and transformation, as well as managed operations for its IT infrastructure.

With this, FASTWEB will introduce advanced IT architecture and state of the art technology and benefit from increased automation, with a lower environmental impact, more flexibility and capacity and evolved services capabilities. 

The contract covers consulting and systems integration, transformation, management and maintenance of FASTWEB's Data Center. Through hardware transformation, using Ericsson's consulting and systems integration services, the operator two data centers will be consolidated, allowing FASTWEB to use its IT infrastructure more efficiently, enhance its time to market and to lower its environmental footprint. 

Mario Mella, Chief Technology Officer, FASTWEB says:

"This is an important step for FASTWEB and choosing the right partner was essential. Ericsson's solution had the right mix of innovation, latest technology and controlled approach. We will be able to benefit from a more scalable and powerful platform, supporting enhanced services."

Valter D'Avino, Vice President & Head of Managed Services, Ericsson, says:

"FASTWEB is an exciting partner for us because it provides services beyond traditional telecom. Ericsson continues to expand its professional services into new areas such as IT and broadcasting. With several industries converging - telecom, media, and internet - the technology is becoming more complex and our mission is to manage the complexity and ensure the provision of streamlined, customer-oriented, quality services."