IBM today announced a five-year Integrated Managed Services (IMS) agreement with Quippo-WTTIL, the world's largest independent telecom infrastructure company, to improve efficiency as business demands increase. The agreement is a step towards creating a combined IT environment for Quippo-WTTIL, a recently merged company that provides services and rents towers to major telecom operators in India and leads in the shared infrastructure initiative in the country.

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IBM will provide a comprehensive technical support system to revamp Quippo-WTTIL's IT infrastructure for its operations throughout India. The technology services provided by IBM will allow the company's business processes to achieve maximum operational efficiency and control or reduce operational costs. As part of the agreement, IBM will deploy server and storage support, networking and security services. This includes managing and administering the relationships Quippo-WTTIL has with existing service providers and providing overall management of services including monitoring and integration functions to meet service levels.

The agreement, signed in May 2010, includes helpdesk and end-user services, such as a single window for all IT-related problems across corporate headquarters, hubs and branches that will provide customers with a faster resolution to their issues. IBM will also host and manage Quippo-WTTIL's Lotus Notes and provide managed services for all offices across the country.

"With focus on customers and innovation, it was crucial for us to blend the IT requirements with our business objectives, especially in today's competitive environment," said Arun Kapur, Chief Executive Officer, Quippo-WTTIL. "With this agreement, our aim is to have an IT partner, as well as an enabler of growth that can help us enhance our operational efficiencies, which will in turn, benefit our operator partners. We chose to work with IBM because of its world-class IT products and solutions that will help improve our service and concentrate on our core business and future growth."

"Mobile telephony is growing tremendously all over the world, especially in growth markets such as India, and communication service providers are choosing IBM to help deliver next generation services to keep pace with market shift and customer demand," said Neeraj Sharma, Director - Integrated Technology Services, IBM India/South Asia. "IBM's comprehensive solution for Quippo-WTTIL will help synchronize the recently merged company's everyday business needs from e-mail to help desk support enabling Quippo-WTTIL to maximize efficiency and continue to lead the telecom tower space throughout India."

About Quippo-WTTIL

Quippo-WTTIL is the pioneer in the Shared Passive Telecom Infrastructure industry in India. In 2009, Quippo Telecom Infrastructure Limited (QTIL) announced its partnership with Tata Teleservices Ltd. (TTSL) with the merger of their passive infrastructure businesses, resulting in the formation of Quippo-WTTIL. The company further strengthened its leadership position with the acquisition of the tower arm of Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Limited in early 2010. Quippo-WTTIL is an independent entity with over 38000 towers and with plans of rolling out nearly 25-30,000 additional towers in the next two years. The company has by far the highest tenancy of over 2 tenants per tower. QUIPPO-WTTIL is the strongest player in neutral host Shared In-Building Communication Solutions (IBS) with installations already completed at most of the major airports.

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  Media Contacts:

  Raza Khan                         Sonal Thind
  Head-Corporate Communications     Manager Corporate Communications
  Quippo-WTTIL                      Quippo-WTTIL
  +91 9211784892                                            +91 9211784692
  e-mail: raza.khan@quippoworld.com e-mail: sonal.thind@quippoworld.com

  Gouri Soumi                       Binu Jacob
  IBM India                         VOX PR
  +91-9945189504                    +91-9538246715
  soumi.gouri@in.ibm.com            binu.jacob@voxpr.co.in

  Tara Sucato
  IBM Media Relations (U.S.)
  917-472-3701
  tjsucato@us.ibm.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: tjsucato@us.ibm.com

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SOURCE: IBM