Altron subsidiary Bytes UK has signed a R2,5-billion contract with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) to roll out Windows 10 to all NHS computers.
The five-year contract, worth £150-million (R2,5-billion), or £30-million (R510 million) per year, saw Bytes UK take the tender in a competitive bid that included 10 other companies.
“Our international operations are key to our growth strategy of increasing our offshore revenue streams,” says Altron chief executive Mteto Nyati. “As the largest Microsoft partner in the UK, Bytes UK is playing a key role in this strategy. We are extremely proud of the team.”
Bytes UK MD Neil Murphy adds: “This is an extraordinary win for Bytes UK and an opportunity for us to further cement our relationship with the NHS. Our role is to ensure that these Microsoft Windows 10 licences are seamlessly deployed and to support the NHS in its goal of revitalising its technology infrastructure.”
The Bytes UK team has already begun expansion to ensure smooth delivery and development of the NHS contract. In addition to rolling out the licences, the agreement includes the maintenance of a comprehensive inventory and the development of a portal designed to record the licensing process.
The installation of the Windows 10 solution forms part of the NHS’ investment into a more secure infrastructure in the challenging cybersecurity landscape.
Recent cyberthreats, including the WannaCry ransomware, have impacted on the NHS significantly and this commitment puts them in a far stronger position. The implementation will take place alongside numerous other solutions and technologies that have been selected to ensure that the NHS has comprehensive security and system longevity.