Telstra, Visionstream extend exchange maintenance deal for $350m

Telstra has agreed to a five-year deal with Visionstream that will see the infrastructure services company continue to maintain over 40,000 exchange and network assets across Australia.

The telco will pay Visionstream around $350 million for "network integrity and facilities management" of Telstra’s exchange network and other network sites.

The agreement includes building services, such as the upkeep of fire and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.

The deal extends a 12-year facilities maintenance partnership between the two companies. Visionstream is also responsible for the design and construction of wideband services for Telstra.

“This contract award reinforces the positive contribution Visionstream has made to Telstra’s critical network infrastructure. We are pleased to continue our valued partnership with Telstra through this new agreement,” Visionstream chief executive Richard Kelleway said in a statement.

iTnews contacted Telstra for comment, but did not receive a response prior to publication.

Visionstream is a subsidiary of Ventia, which is jointly owned by CIMIC and investment funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management.

Ventia was created in early 2015 through the merger of Leighton, Thiess Services and Visionstream.

Visionstream is also a major partner of the NBN. It has a five-year multi-technology integrated master agreement (MIMA) to deploy exchange equipment, greenfields fibre, fibre to the node and fibre to the premises connections for the Australian broadband rollout.