The three-year framework contract provides telent with the opportunity to supply a range of assurance and professional services for BT Global Services and their customers, across large and often complex multi-vendor estates.

These networks range from small PBX switches through to large unified communications platforms and call centre applications.

The collaboration will provide BT with a vehicle upon which to procure and broaden its range of assurance services. It will also enable BT to further broaden opportunities across the UK voice market, increasing our ability to respond to business opportunities around emerging technologies.

Existing suppliers, telent alongside, Carillion and Openreach are said to be readying to provide added support to BT. The telecoms group is putting together contingency plans for the first strike at the firm since 1987, after talks with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) collapsed last week.

The union rejected BT's initial offer of a 2% pay award this year, and called instead for a 5% pay rise following profits at the telecoms firm. BT then raised its offer to a 2% this year followed by a 3% rise in 2011.

The union will send out ballot papers to its 55,000 members on Friday and will announce the result on 5 July. CWU needs a simple majority of members who vote to give it a mandate for industrial action.