Pat,
I'm a little out of touch since retiring but I'll take a guess.
IBM's selling its Global Network unit, and
outsourcing its Global Services unit?
The Global Network Unit is probably the people, hardware and systems used to provide Voice and Data services globally to IBM and those large corporations that they've marketed this service to. i.e. - Sort of like Concert (the BT ATT et al joint venture).
Lou G. seems to have decided that being a Telco isn't IBM's Core business and would like a nice 1 time gain to put on his balance sheet. If I were buying, I would physically inventory every last piece of Hardware and Software, assess its Y2K capability, determine whether it's more than 3 minutes from absolute obsolescence, etc. I wouldn't want to say that I smell a rat. But if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably another great deal for IBM. If they want to sell, buyer beware!
Global Services Unit is a new term to me but it's probably the global equivalent of ISSM in the US, ISM in Canada. IBM through subsidiaries has been competing vigorously with Outsourcers such as EDS, CSC, Perot Systems, etc. They would likely offer a variety of processing and systems integration services, all of which have high synergy with the core business.
Hope this helps,
Ian. |
