Orapa open pit mine in Botswana, the largest diamond mine in the world. Photo: De Beers Group

[Via Satellite 06-03-2014] BT secured a six-year, $37 million contract with the De Beers Group to provide a range of IT services to 70 De Beers sites, including various exploration and mining locations. BT will offer a range of BT Connect networking equipment, such as fiber, microwave and satellite technologies.

The overall objective is to bring connectivity and access to applications and data storage to De Beers employees at various sites, whether they are located in southern Africa or cities in the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

BT will also assist the diamond company in targeting its network by prioritizing critical applications to make for a more productive and efficient work environment for its employees, which number more than 20,000 worldwide. BT One video conferencing will be a significant asset in this agreement to connect employees across the world and save on travel expenses.