BT To Provide High Performance, More Secure Connectivity To Microsoft Azure

IRVING, Texas, April 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- BT and Microsoft announced today a global agreement to provide customers with high performance and more secure connectivity to Microsoft Azure, Microsoft's public cloud platform, with Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute.

Customers will be able to take advantage of the flexibility and agility offered by cloud resources, with the assurance of a dedicated, more secure connection to their data and applications.

Azure ExpressRoute allows customers to bypass the public Internet when connecting to Azure through a private connection based on BT's IP Connect VPN service. As a result, enterprise customers have a seamless, hybrid IT environment encompassing their corporate networks, data centers and the Azure cloud platform. BT's IP Connect VPN service, which is available in 198 countries and territories, integrates the Azure infrastructure directly with the wide area networks of customers. Customers will benefit from lower latency, more predictable performance and enhanced security for Azure workloads.

The service is due to go live in summer 2014 in Europe through direct network connectivity to Microsoft Azure data centers in Dublin and Amsterdam. This will be followed by connections in Asia, then by additional locations around the world.

Luis Alvarez, CEO, BT Global Services, said "IT departments everywhere face the same challenge; Cloud offers them the benefits of flexibility and lower costs, but security and reliability of access to data and applications remain main barriers to adoption. We will help customers build on their hybrid cloud strategies by bringing together BT's expertise and global network with the Azure platform. They will benefit from a globally consistent, more secure and reliable solution, helping them innovate and compete in the global market."

Jean-Philippe Courtois, President, Microsoft International, said "Microsoft and BT have an established history of delivering cloud solutions that meet the evolving needs of business across many industries. Today's announcement is yet another example of the two companies joining forces to help customers embrace cloud on their terms, by providing a more secure and reliable way to take advantage of the speed, flexibility and scale of hybrid solutions." 

This new agreement builds on a long established relationship between the companies. In 2013 BT was awarded Office 365 Syndication Growth Partner of the Year. BT was also among the very first globally to provide Lync as a private cloud service.

Notes to Editors

BT operates a global network infrastructure with the ability to provide services for its customers in 198 countries and territories. BT takes a total network approach, global and local, integrating connectivity seamlessly to deliver improved business performance for its customers.

BT's powerful mix of highly available and reliable international network services such as IP Connect, Ethernet Connect, Internet Connect and Managed LAN combined with its applications performance management (Connect Applications) brings large organizations together with their employees, customers and the world.

About BT

BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in more than 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband, TV and internet products and services; and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of five lines of business: BT Global Services, BT Business, BT Consumer, BT Wholesale and Openreach.

For the year ended 31 March 2013, BT Group's reported revenue was £18,103m with reported profit before taxation of £2,315m.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York. 

For more information, visit www.btplc.com

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

SOURCE BT