IBM India to play key role in MTN deal

South African phone firm MTN Group Ltd has approached International Business Machines Corp., or IBM, to provide information technology support and services in a deal estimated to cost $2 billion and modelled on the work the US company has done for three Indian cellphone operators.
A deal between the Johannesburg-listed firm, which aims to be a top 10 global telecom company through tie-ups in countries such as India and Mexico, and IBM is likely to be signed by the end of this year, according to a person close to the development.

About 250 engineers will be drawn for the project across the globe, but the majority will be from India given their expertise in such projects, said the person who declined to be identified because the deal is still being worked out. An agreement is expected to be signed by the end of 2008, the same person said.

Livemint