Press release

O2 today announces that it has extended its current contract with the AA until June 2011. The decision to extend the contract by another two years is part of the AA’s continued commitment to better serving its members through its strategic relationship with O2.

The initial deal was signed in July 2006 and covers approximately 5,500 voice connections and over 3,000 data connections, mainly used for AA’s breakdown service fleet in every corner of the UK.

The AA delivers a time critical service on which its 15 million members depend. Mobility lies at the core of being able to deliver this service and, as such, the demands on its telecoms supplier are incredibly exacting when it comes to overall network performance, coverage, resilience and speed.

“Mobile is critical to our business and O2 has proved itself as a reliable and valued partner,” said Trevor Didcock, Director of Information Systems at the AA. “Extending this contract for a further two years demonstrates our commitment to investing in mobile services and delivering a fast and dependable service to our members.”

One of the key priorities for the AA is the performance of GPRS which is essential for managing workflow and jobs out to patrols on the road. O2 has implemented its Network Manager for GPRS service which enables customers to measure the performance of the O2 network and to check overall network availability and latency.

Another major requirement is the resilience of the network. To ensure this, O2 built a bespoke product into its core network that provides the highest level of back-up. For users this ensures that should the GPRS network become unavailable for any reason there is an automatic transfer to GSM with no loss of service. Additionally, O2 installed a two-way link into the AA data centre allowing a permanent backup connection into the AA’s VPN (Virtual Private Network).

Ben Dowd, General Manager, Business Sales at O2 UK said: “The AA’s decision to extend its contract is a fantastic endorsement of the quality and reliability of our network and our ability to deliver a business critical service. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the AA over the next four years to jointly develop new mobile services and continue to enhance its members’ experience.”

About the AA
The AA is the UK’s leading breakdown service with more dedicated patrols than any other UK roadside assistance provider. The professionalism and high standards valued by its 15 million members in the event of a roadside breakdown are also the hallmark of many more AA products and services.

The AA offers personal financial services including motor and home insurance, loans, and breakdown repair cover. There are AA products and services to help both private and fleet motorists to choose and run vehicles. The AA’s website is a motoring, travel and leisure portal and its popular route planner calculates more than three million routes per week. The AA is the largest independent travel publisher in the UK and one of the top 10 worldwide. Its many publications include maps, travel and lifestyle guides.

AA Public Affairs helps guide and shape motoring policy by analysing and researching issues, and campaigning on behalf of members and motorists.

For more information, visit www.theAA.com

Gavin Hill-Smith
AA Press Office:
Phone: 01256 492886
Email: gavin.hill-smith@theaa.com

About O2
O2 is a leading provider of mobile services to consumers and businesses in the UK.  These services include voice, text, media messaging, games, music and video, as well as always on data connections via GPRS, 3G and WLAN. Every month, O2’s 17.8 million customers send well over a billion text messages. O2 UK is part of Telefónica O2 Europe which comprises mobile network operators in the UK, Ireland and Slovakia along with integrated fixed / mobile businesses in Germany and the Czech Republic. Telefónica O2 Europe also owns 50% of the Tesco Mobile and Tchibo Mobilfunk joint venture businesses in the UK and Germany respectively as well as having 100% ownership of Be, a leading UK fixed broadband provider
 
O2 was ranked as 5th best place to work in the Best Companies to Work for 2007 List and has been awarded a two-star accreditation denoting an ’outstanding’ company.
 
(For b-roll footage of O2, please visit www.thenewshub.co.uk)

For further information please contact

Nick Wilkins
O2 Press Office:
Mobile: 0771 2020937
Email: nick.wilkins@o2.com

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