Unique collaboration between Telenet Business and ICT service provider Sopra Steria future-proofs Belgian businesses with a digital transformation
Mechelen, 23 April 2024. Telenet Business and Sopra Steria, which acquired Ordina last year, are joining forces and their expertise for a high-profile alliance to manage digital transformation in companies and organizations. This strategic partnership marks a milestone in the evolution of digital infrastructure and work environments of businesses in Belgium.
“Hybrid working is here to stay. During the pandemic, companies were forced to come up with a ‘quick-fix’ to allow people to work from home, under-utilizing the potential of digital work environments. Eurostat research shows that 60% of European businesses do not or insufficiently use collaboration tools, 30% have and know the basics, and only 10% go all-in. These figures are surprising to say the least. While companies do invest in digital systems, this transition is often very stressful for employees. That is where we come in with our solution.", says Geert Degezelle of Telenet Business.
“We have also observed another evolution: companies no longer want to manage their ICT 'in-house’. The speed of digital transformation is such that business leaders are looking to outside experts to advise them on all things digital but also to implement and even manage systems. That way, they can focus on the company’s core business," says Lieven Verhaevert of Sopra Steria Belux.
With the recent award of a tender from Lantis, the company overseeing the construction of the Oosterweel project in Antwerp, for the development of a ‘modern workplace’ and cloud solutions, the collaboration between Telenet Business and Sopra Steria positions itself as a forerunner in the industry. The focus is on taking the burden off Lantis with outsourced ICT, addressing hybrid working and the complex collaboration requirements inherent to the "transport infrastructure project of the century”.
“We chose Sopra Steria/Telenet Business because of the price/quality ratio. And also because this collaboration implied radical change in terms of the data center. This has been completely scrapped and everything has been transferred to the cloud. This is a major move for a company like Lantis. We want to keep up and be future-ready. We are an agile and flexible organization with an eye for the very latest techniques when it comes to the construction project we are working on. So it only makes sense that we apply the same approach in terms of our ICT", says Yanissa De Jonghe, ICT manager of Lantis.
The secure cloud applications make flexible working on-site or from abroad easier. Telenet Business provides the fixed network of headquarters and the various site locations and will also take care of the internal network and external connectivity anywhere on the site.
Questions are becoming more and more complex, with collaborations like this one between Telenet Business and Sopra Steria, combining different areas of expertise, becoming increasingly common. That is why Sopra Steria and Telenet Business have entered a cooperation agreement.
“Companies realize now more than ever that all employees need to be on board with digitalization. You need a good collaboration tool. And you also need to make sure that all your employees learn to use it. Younger workers also expect a state-of-the-art digital structure from their employer. This is a crucial factor in the war for talent. And at the same time, this also responds to the drive for greater efficiency and security within organizations and companies. With this collaboration, we are perfectly positioned to provide a solution for this," concludes Geert Degezelle of the Telenet Business.
