Tesco signs deal with Verizon for ‘single global network’

UK supermarket giant Tesco has announced a deal with Verizon to migrate to a single network infrastructure.

The solution will link all its operations across 12 countries, both for internal corporate matters and partner/supplier communications.

The partnership will also build towards further projects, such as providing customer Wi-Fi in store and a global desktop, integrating all its businesses onto a single platform.

Tesco CIO Mike McNamara said: “Whether in our stores, online, or on the move, we need our infrastructure to support our business goals. Verizon combines technology innovation with pragmatic application to help us build solutions for today and platforms to support the future of retail.”

The security element and service management framework is already live in every location, but Tomas Kadlec, group infrastructure IT director at Tesco, said the step was bringing internet connectivity to every office and store it owned around the globe.

“Verizon is helping us to consolidate, centralise and converge our infrastructure across the world,” he said. “This marks a step change for Tesco in terms of both security and managed networked services.

“The cutover to the Verizon network has gone exceptionally well, accordingly to plan and within the agreed framework.”

Computer Weekly asked Verizon how long the contract had been signed for and when it expected the entire network to be up and running, but the firm had not returned our request at the time of publication.