Teletext and Acutest sign outsource testing deal

Teletext has outsourced their testing services to independent testing consultancy, Acutest. Under the deal, Acutest will take responsibility for delivering testing and assurance services as well as helping improve the way these services are used throughout the development lifecycle.
Acutest first began work with Teletext on a single performance testing assignment in 2005, during which they quickly got to grips with what was required and also introduced improvements to the underlying testing processes.
“In recent years, we have used a mix of in house resources, contractors and external testing companies to service our testing needs. When we first brought in Acutest, their approach and services set them apart from what we had come to expect from the independent testing market,” explained Bill Welsh, Head of Development Operations at Teletext. “We were particularly impressed with their performance and load testing services and the way they helped us align our testing with our business and technical risks in a string of new releases in 2005.”
Barry Varley, CEO, Acutest commented: “We’re delighted to have been selected by Teletext to provide their testing services. There is a growing trend in the UK to outsource testing to independent specialists, as opposed to the large outsource deals which dominated the last decade and embraced both development and testing. We’ve developed a range of client side assurance services to help our customers get the benefits of their technology-enabled change faster and we are looking forward to implementing these for Teletext.”
“We chose Acutest ahead of the competition for two key reasons. Firstly, they had already proven themselves and we knew we could work well with them. Secondly, the approach they proposed for the outsourced testing service demonstrated they had listened to our needs and come up with a unique proposition. Acutest have combined a consistently high standard of service with the great flexibility we need,” said Nigel Beighton, CTO at Teletext. “Testing is a strategically important part of our development process. The impact of this outsource service is already providing improvements in other areas of our development as well the management information we have during assignments. “
Ends
For further information please contact:
Press Enquiries, Acutest, Blackwell House, Guildhall Yard, London, EC2V 5AE.
Tel: 0207 917 2838. Mobile 07968 110421
Kathryn Milne, PR Manager at Teletext Ltd
Tel: 0870 731 3567 or kathrynm@teletext.co.uk

About Acutest
Acutest is an independent consultancy focused solely on testing software, business processes, and IT with the goal of enabling our customers to achieve the benefits of their technology-enabled change faster.
The approach is to:
• Reduce the cost of change
This covers both the overall cost of the full development lifecycle and the cost of all the testing activities, such as performance testing or user acceptance testing
• Increase the speed of change
This covers reducing the elapsed time spent testing and the time spent on remedial work and operational maintenance
• Improve the governance of change
This is achieved through better business alignment of testing and better management information from the testing activities throughout the projects and programmes.
http://www.acutest.co.uk

About Teletext
• Teletext operates the analogue and digital (Sky and Freeview) text services on ITV and Channel Four and is on channel five. It has a weekly audience of 12million and is the largest and most commercially successful service of its kind in the world. Teletext is also available on the web at teletextholidays.co.uk, and mobile Teletext services include a range of Short Message Services.
• Teletext provides up-to-the-minute news, sport and finance services, comprehensive TV and entertainment listings, plus features focusing on TV, film, lifestyle, music and celebrity gossip.
• Teletext Holidays features fully integrated editorial content, including a travel guides and helpful advice. Additional travel services such as car hire and pre-ordering foreign currency and traveller’s cheques can also be accessed.
• Around two million holidays are sourced via Teletext Holidays every year and Teletextholidays.co.uk regularly appears in the top three travel websites visited.
• Teletext Cars launched this year becoming the UK’s first free service for consumers to find the best new and used car deals via their TV remote control.