BT has signed a £46.6m deal with BAA to wire up Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted airports. The telco already runs Wi-Fi public access hotspots and payphones at all three sites.

BT will provide voice services to 2,000 users, move an existing data network onto an IP infrastructure and set up a helpdesk for BAA staff and airport tenants. It will also deploy managed broadband services to improve flexible working at BAA, and is providing staff with 1,000 Blackberry handheld emailers.

But alongside the traditional IT contract is a joint-marketing venture. BAA will sell BT's networking and technology services to tenants at its airports. Shops, airlines and other businesses at the three locations will get access to BT expertise.

Colin Mattey, director, Commercial and Brands, BT, said: "This new commercial model demonstrates our focus on the effective use of ICT - in BAA's case to provide a platform to boost their own productivity and efficiency, and open up a new revenue channel."

BAA refused to comment on the deal. ®

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