Contracts

Automotive IT provider q.bit systems has agreed a £200,000 deal to oversee motor retailer Lex Autosales' IT support and development, in what the company has claimed is the first digital outsourcing agreement in the UK motor retailing industry. Support for Lex's entire digital environment and future development will be provided by q.bit, focusing on Internet, intranet, telemarketing, showroom, mobile phones and new telecom developments.

Time to install CRM software

PC retailer Time Computers has signed a deal with software provider Astea International, for a 300-user installation of Astea's Service Alliance customer relationship management (CRM) software. The software will be used in Time Computers' corporate customer care centre, service depot and repair facility, as well as by the company's field service team and by staff at Time shops with drop-in repair facilities.

Axxia wins law firm contract

Hextall Erskine has awarded a contract to Axxia Systems to roll out case management technology to the law firm's fee-earning and support staff. The deployment of Axxia's Case Manager product will allow Hextall Erskine to log information and direct all activity from within discrete case plans across the practice. It will also enable the company to assign and escalate activities, raise documentation, input critical dates, monitor progress, record work in progress and generate reports to any given criteria.

Waterford Crystal in SAP roll-out

Glass and crystal manufacturer Waterford Crystal has signed a contract with IT consultancy Diagonal to help it implement an company-wide SAP enterprise resource planning system. Waterford will upgrade and replace the range of software that it currently uses to run its business, moving from several disparate software systems to a single integrated system. In the initial project, Waterford will replace a number of legacy systems with SAP software in its main plants, followed by a phased roll-out to other locations.

Wireless Internet deal brings savings

The Nottingham Community Housing Association has signed a deal with Tele2 UK to use its new wireless Internet service at the association's Nottingham and Leicester offices. The association has estimated that by paying a single monthly subscription fee to Tele2, rather than being charged by the minute, as was the case previously, it will save up to £30,000 over the next two years.

C&W France to use Narus' Internet product

Cable & Wireless France, has awarded a contract to Internet business infrastructure supplier Narus to implement its Narus IBI platform and the Narus billing mediation system (BMS) across its entire broadband network. Cable & Wireless France, which offers services based on the IP protocol, is installing the Narus products to provide real-time collection and processing of IP customer usage data. This will enable it to identify, offer and bill for differentiated services.

NTL deal opens the way for new TV channels

NTL has announced that it has signed new contracts worth a total of £8m with television broadcasters QVC, Discovery and Universal as well as new channels Situp.com and Prime TV. NTL will be increasing the capacity of its service for the Discovery network on Astra 2A, which will enable 10 full-time channels at any one time and enable it to deliver Universal's new German channel. As part of a 10-year direct-to-home deal, NTL will deliver an additional QVC service on Astra 2B, along with Situp.com, a new auction-style channel and Asian channel Prime TV.