Bharti Airtel has signed a six-year, $150 million outsourcing deal with IBM. According to the deal, Bharti will outsource its IT functions in broadband, media and enterprise services to IBM. Since Bharti is likely to make a foray into the direct-to-home (DTH) and internet protocol TV (IPTV) service segments in the near future, IBM will implement IT systems that will enable the company to launch differentiated services. The systems, which include leastcost routing, geographic information system, auto-discovery, autoprovisioning and auto-activation, will deliver enhanced efficiencies, cost savings and service delivery to Bharti. IBM will also improve the delivery of value-added products and services to Bharti's prepaid subscribers. The operator has already outsourced its mobile operßations to IBM in a deal worth $1 billion.