Three year contract with Azzurri Communications to link JD’s 450 UK stores

13 September 2010, Weybridge, UK: JD Sports, the leading sports fashion retailer, has selected Azzurri Communications to supply, manage and support a Wide Area Network (WAN) and a Voice over IP telephony (VoIP) solution to link communications between all of JD Sports 450 UK & Republic of Ireland stores.

The new network will deliver two key benefits: firstly payment card transactions and authorisations can be processed faster. Secondly the enhanced bandwidth increases the number and quality of the applications JD Sports can run over the network concurrently, such as enhanced CCTV and in-store music and advertising. The network will be split over two broadband pipes to ensure a fully resilient connection.

The new three year contract also sees Azzurri providing a fully managed VoIP (Voice over IP) telephony solution to JD Sports’ Head Office and Stores. JD Sports will gain from free inter-company calls and a comprehensive service level agreement (SLA) for support and maintenance.

Azzurri’s managed communications services are used by a number of other major UK retailers including Dixons Stores Group (DSGi), Allied Carpets and the Southern Co-operative.

Mark Quartermaine, CEO, Azzurri Communications said: “JD Sports is a fast moving and ambitious business. This means they require a service provider who can manage multiple suppliers for them with a single SLA, offer flexible contractual terms and the opportunity for regular technology refreshes. Over the course of the previous contract, we’ve proved that our service is a true business-enabler and it’s very pleasing that JD Sports see us a strategic partner moving forward.”