In Brief

BT, Tsinghua University join forces on research

BT, one of the world's largest communications service providers, signed a memorandum of understanding with the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University in Beijing yesterday to begin long-term, collaborative research initiatives focused on developing new technologies in emerging markets. The collaboration will also allow selected economics and management students at Tsinghua to gain direct work experience at BT, which established its China research and development centre in 2007. Bien Perez

Tata Communications extends services to the mainland

Tata Communications, which operates a global telecommunications network, extended its Ethernet networking service portfolio into the mainland last week, with immediate availability. The services will enable multinational companies to get global connections to the country's largest business centres, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Bien Perez

Pacnet, Office Squared serve Hangzhou science park tenants

Telecommunications operator Pacnet agreed last week to partner with Office Squared, a subsidiary of Australian firm Servcorp, to bring internet-based solutions to tenants at the Singapore-Hangzhou Science and Technology Park in Zhejiang province. Hong Kong-based Pacnet, which runs Asia's largest privately owned submarine cable network, will deliver high-bandwidth connection for the collaboration tools that Office Squared offers to various outsourcing services providers in the park. Pacnet chief executive Bill Barney said the venture supported the continued growth of the outsourcing industry on the mainland. Bien Perez