Global Dispatches: EU parliament OKs Galileo satellite project

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EU Parliament OKs Satellite Project

BRUSSELS-- The European Parliament last week approved the Galileo satellite navigation system, clearing the way for the European Union's most ambitious technology project.

The parliament's approval was the final hurdle for the €3.4 billion ($5.4 billion U.S.) Galileo system, a joint development effort of the EU and the European Space Agency.

Parliament member Etelka Barsi-Pataky noted that the effort marks "the first infrastructure in Europe that is commonly built and jointly owned."

In a statement, the parliament said that work on the system will start this year, once contractors are selected.

Galileo, which is similar to the U.S. government's Global Positioning System, is due to be deployed by 2013. -- Paul Meller, IDG News Service

Aussie Utility, CSC Ink Services Deal

PERTH, Australia -- Western Power, an electric utility owned by the Western Australian government, has signed a three-year IT services contract valued at $15.4 million Australian ($14.5 million U.S.) with Computer Sciences Corp.

The first IT outsourcing contract awarded by Western Power, the deal calls for Falls Church, Va.-based CSC to migrate the utility's mainframe processing to its Melbourne mainframe center and provide support services to the utility. Western Power CIO Leigh Sprlyan said the Perth-based utility selected CSC in part for its consumption-based pricing model, which requires payment only for mainframe capacity used. -- Sandra Rossi, Computerworld Australia

Briefly Noted

India's largest outsourcer, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., blamed an uncertain U.S. economy for lower-than-anticipated revenue and profit growth in its fiscal year that ended March 31. Nonetheless, Tata said its profits rose 32% from the previous year to $1.25 billion (U.S.) as sales rose 33% to $5.7 billion. -- John Ribeiro, IDG News Service

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