BT signs biggest contract

BT Group PLC
04 November 2002


                                                                November 4, 2002


                         BT SIGNS BIGGEST EVER CONTRACT

BT today announced that it has signed one of the largest ever outsourcing
contracts in UK corporate history. The deal is a seven year contract worth
around €1 billion with Unilever to manage and develop the company's entire
global communications infrastructure.

Under the contract, Unilever will be provided with a high quality and cost
effective communications network for its sites around the globe.

BT will deliver an array of best in class voice, data and mobile services as
well as developing new technologies on behalf of Unilever. Unilever will also be
able to reduce its current supplier base down to one single partner and will
benefit from substantial cost savings.

Andy Green, chief executive officer, BT Ignite, said: "To be selected as
Unilever's global partner is fantastic news and a real achievement. This hugely
significant win which incorporates around eighty per cent of revenues driven
from outside the UK, allows us to strengthen our international footprint and
demonstrates the value of our world class network to major players like
Unilever."

Martin Armitage, head of Unilever's Global Infrastructure Organisation (GIO),
said: "To achieve our path to growth strategic objectives it is essential that
Unilever has a high quality and cost effective global network. We look forward
to working with BT as it uses its technical expertise and global knowledge to
oversee our existing network and introduce appropriate new technology, while
driving down costs."

The service will be managed from five regional operating centres including BT's
UK state of the art facility in West Malling, in Kent. During the contract, BT
will improve service through the aggressive use of convergence and internet
services, building on the leading work that Unilever has already started in this
area.

A key part of BT's core business is the delivery of managed networks and
communications solutions to corporate customers operating in multiple countries.

The contract builds on the existing strong relationship between Unilever and
BT's Syntegra systems integration business, which provides advanced messaging
and security services to Unilever.

Unilever is one of the world's largest consumer products companies with annual
sales of approximately €52 billion in 2001. It is a truly global company with
operations in almost 100 countries and sales in 180. Unilever employs
approximately 270,000 people at 1,400 worldwide sites.

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