So happy together

Reaffirming a relationship: Now that’s a way to start the week. Today, Orange Business Services and SITA did just that, announcing the enhancement of the companies’ partnership. The announcement and business manipulation was undertaken in order to further each company’s hold in the air transport industry. The new agreement builds on the strategic agreement regarding supply of services made between the parties in 2001.

In an exchange of expertise, Orange Business Services will act as strategic partner for SITA communications services, while SITA will be the Orange strategic channel to the Air Transport Industry. The new agreement also promises an expanded scope of services, third-party services integration, and joint centers of excellence. More specifically, the areas of collaboration can be detailed.

With regard to expanding scope, Orange and SITA staff will work together to supplement existing services in the areas of mobile communications, telephony, LAN management, server hosting, infrastructure, communicative application, and CRM. The new third-party services integration seeks to improve upon and complement current offerings with other provider services. Joint centres of excellence include complex solution design, network access solutions, third-party integration and communications outsourcing; the companies have pledge to join expertise and focus highly-skilled professionals on these areas.

SITA is owned by the air transport community itself, and is service provider of IT business solutions and communications services to the industry. Owned by the air transport community, SITA today serves more than 3,000 ATI customers, including all major airlines, in 220 countries and territories. SITA airline and airport applications and services includes airport operations and integrated baggage services; common use and desktop services; flight operations communications; air-to-ground communications; airline distribution services; and fare services.

Orange Business Services represents the business communications solutions and services provided by the France Telecom Group and encompasses brand names Almerys, Equant, Etrali, EGT, Expertel Consulting, France Telecom Intelmatique, Orange, SETIB and Solicia. Orange specializes in converged voice, data and mobile services, and also works in IT and managed services. The company is present in 166 countries and serves customers in 220.