Chinese telecommunications equipment and services provider Huawei has secured a contract to provide network planning and implementation services to Telefonica O2 UK in a five-year outsourcing agreement. 56 permanent roles and 62 contractors will transfer to Huawei.

Telecoms firm BT is strengthening its telesales operation at its South Tyneside call centre. It is recruiting up to 80 new employees, increasing headcount to 700 at the £10.5m business centre. The new recruits will sell BT products and services to new and existing customers. 2011 turnover £20bn.

BT Group recorded a 16.2% increase in pre-tax profit to 2.42bn in the year to March 2012, however full year revenue declined by 4% to 19.3bn. In the fourth quarter pre-tax profit increased 13% to 690m, while earnings increased 4% to 1,609m.

Eckoh Plc, a provider of speech recognition and payment solutions, and Azzurri Communications, a provider of managed communications services, have won a contract to supply Essex County Council with new speech recognition technology. Eckoh will develop and implement the solution across the Councils customer service operations. The purpose is to reduce call waiting times, free up contact centre agents and achieve cost savings for the Council which services 1.4 million people.