Helpdesk's key as utilities prepare for $11.7 billion IT spending spree

Utility providers seeking a competitive edge will focus their spending on IT services, rather than hardware and software investments, according to research from IDC.

With effective IT recognised of one of the few areas that utility companies can differentiate in a commoditised market, spending on technology provision is set to peak in 2015 at $11.7 billion, a $2.6 billion increase on this year’s figures.

IT services will absorb 62 per cent of the outlay, while spending on packaged software will account for 21 per cent, and hardware 18 per cent. IT support will command the biggest share of IT services spending, followed by project implementations and day-to-day operations.