Customs entrusts telco services to Telstra

Australian Customs and Border Protection has signed a five-year, $56 million contract with a single supplier for the first time, striking an agreement with Telstra on August 22.

The agreement includes an option to extend the arrangement for another four years, though Customs did not put a dollar value on it.

Telstra has been a telecommunications supplier to Customs since 2003, a spokesperson for the carrier confirmed.

"This is the first time that [Customs] is using a single provider for whole-of-business telecommunications services," Telstra's spokesperson said.

Comment is also being sought from a Customs spokesperson on the nature of its prior arrangements for telecommunications service supply across the agency.

Telstra's remit will cover network, unified communications and videoconferencing systems used by approximately 5700 staff nationally. It also includes mobile voice and data, satellite and point-to-point services.

Customs CTO Randall Brugeaud said in a statement that the consolidated telecommunications contract would "provide ongoing support for our existing telecommunications arrangements at a significantly reduced cost".