NTT Communications Corp is getting together with IBM Corp and Tivoli Systems Inc to launch an outsourcing business that will undertake construction, operation and maintenance of web-based information systems and networks for enterprise users. The service should launch early in the second quarter of next year.

IBM Japan will provide the server management and maintenance knowledge required for the launch while Tivoli Systems Japan Inc will provide operation management software designed to manage and monitor network service quality. NTT Com hopes to achieve sales of several hundred billion yen from the outsourcing business in the initial year, according to company president Masanobu Suzuki. The cooperation between NTT Com and IBM Japan will enable them to provide an

outsourcing service that can compete with Fujitsu’s and NEC’s network services, Nifty and BIGLOBE, he said.