AT&T* is providing Accenture (NYSE:ACN) with a platform that allows it to collaborate with clients, suppliers and others by creating the experience of being in the same room, whether the participants are down the street or halfway around the world, the two companies said today.
Under terms of a non-exclusive agreement between the two companies, Accenture is gaining access to the AT&T Business Exchange, an inherent feature of the AT&T Telepresence Solution that allows multiple companies in different locations to connect to one another using Cisco TelePresence™, a sophisticated video conferencing technology.
Accenture already has 50 rooms around the world equipped with telepresence. The locations, which Accenture refers to as “telepresence rooms,” are widely used to facilitate meetings between employees in remote locations. With access to the AT&T Business Exchange, employees are now also able to link with parties outside of Accenture for business-to-business video conferencing.
“Our telepresence rooms are already very popular with employees. Now that we’re open for business on the AT&T Business Exchange, we expect usage to grow exponentially as employees seize the opportunity to communicate with clients, suppliers, partners, and other external constituencies,” said Frank Modruson, chief information officer, Accenture. “We look forward to benefits, such as stronger relationships, quicker decision making, and improved supply chain.”
Since rolling out its telepresence rooms less than two years ago as part of its ‘Collaboration 2.0’ program, Accenture has realized significant payback, saving millions in travel-related expenses, eliminating hours of tiring travel for its employees, and reducing carbon emissions. Accenture expects those benefits to be amplified now that the AT&T Business Exchange extends the program to outside constituents.
“Accenture has been widely recognized in the industry as one of the early adopters of telepresence, and we are proud to welcome them as an anchor tenant on the AT&T Business Exchange,” said Joe Lueckenhoff, senior vice president, business product management, AT&T Business Solutions. “We look forward to continuing to provide Accenture with solutions that extend their global collaboration efforts.”
The AT&T Business Exchange is integrated into the AT&T MPLS-enabled network, utilizing a high availability, fully redundant architecture. More than 50 companies are connecting with one another via hundreds of AT&T Telepresence Solution and Cisco TelePresence sites worldwide, via the AT&T Business Exchange. The exchange also allows Accenture to establish direct` connections with more than 1,000 other Cisco TelePresence meeting endpoints deployed worldwide for either intra-company or inter-company meetings.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 176,000 people 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$21.58 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2009. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
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