| IP networking integrator, NetStar, has won a $5 million deal with the University of Melbourne to complete the first phase of a major campus-wide network upgrade.
Marketing director, Oliver Descoeudres, said the tender called for a platform delivering voice and video services to staff and students. He estimated the overall project
was worth about $25 million. NetStar is rolling out Cisco technology.
"It is a part of the university's longer
term goal to provide a totally new network
catering for more flexible communications
and services," he said. "At this
stage, the upgrade of its core network
includes 76 high-end catalyst switches,
maintenance, implementation and
support. The overall refresh will take a
number of years but this initial deal will
be a 3-4 month project."
Descoeudres could not disclose who
else they were up against for the deal but
said it was a very competitive process.
"We have been pretty active in the
education space in the last five plus
years and having this success with the
University of Melbourne expands our
education portfolio and entrenches our
position in this space," he said.
In other news, NetStar has recruited
four new staff to ramp up sales. It has
hired two business development managers,
Nero Aroyan and John Collias, as well
as network consultant, John Leong, and
senior voice/data architect, Henry Ho.
"The new business roles are really focused
on working with marketing to develop
new relationships and build business
in new accounts," Descoeudres said. "We
are very much focused on the commercial
300 -1000 seat space for growth."
NetStar has about 400 active customers
on its books, including Energy Australia,
Swinburne University, Tyco and
Wesfarmers. Descoeudres highlighted
security, IP communications and network
management as key areas.
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