Telecoms firm LinkBermuda has joined forces with BT Ireland to provide data centre and connectivity services on a global scale.

David Caldwell, chief executive officer of LinkBermuda, said the deal would increase the range of services offered by his own firm as well as BT Ireland.

He explained it was an opportunity for Bermuda customers to access data centre services in other parts of the world, while BT Ireland, which does not have presence in Bermuda, could refer clients who needed a data centre in Bermuda to LinkBermuda.

“It adds convenience for our customers and similarly for BT Ireland’s customers,” he said.

Mr Caldwell was speaking after BT Ireland today announced that it has signed a major new partnership agreement with LinkBermuda, a leading provider of data centre, networking and internet provider services on the Island.

The deal means both firms will be able to provide extra data centre, network and infrastructure services to their global customers, initially from BT’s Dublin data centre and LinkBermuda’s facility in Bermuda.

The agreement was reached after LinkBermuda carried out a comprehensive market review and selected BT on the strength of its global capability, local expertise and its range of ICT services.

In addition to the provision of direct BT services, the agreement also facilitates the provision of connectivity to Microsoft Azure and Amazon cloud services via the BT global network.

Mr Caldwell said: “As Bermuda’s leading data centre, networking and IP solutions provider, LinkBermuda strives to continuously build on this base to provide Bermuda with world-class global services

“Partnerships like this demonstrate LinkBermuda’s global reach and further enhance our ability to offer end-to-end services to our global customers based in Bermuda, a number of whom have operations in both Bermuda and Ireland.

“By teaming up with BT Ireland we are able to offer very competitive data centre and network products in several markets while maintaining central billing here in Bermuda.”

Shay Walsh, BT Ireland’s managing director of business, added: “As a global leader in networked IT services, we can provide global connectivity to 197 other countries and territories and connect our customers to our 48 data centres around the world.

“It’s this end-to-end global capability, coupled with our local skills and partnerships with other leading technology brands, which will help us support LinkBermuda in delivering for its customers.

“We look forward to building on this capability in the coming years.”

The partnership enables BT Ireland and LinkBermuda to extend their combined capabilities worldwide to their existing customers for the end-to-end provision of data centre, computing, infrastructure and telecom services.

BT, once part of the British government’s general post office, was formed as British Telecommunication in 1980 and became independent of the post office the following year.

British Telecommunications, which trades at BT, was privatised in 1984, becoming British Telecommunications plc, with about 50 per cent of its shares sold to investors.

The British government sold its remaining stake in further share sales in 1991 and 1993.

BT is now one of the world’s biggest suppliers of communications and operates in more than 170 countries.