Hickman, Williams & Company, a supplier of products to metal businesses, could in the future deploy advanced telecom services such as VoIP thanks to AT&T (News - Alert). The company will obtain voice and data network services from the telecom giant via a newly inked three-year contract.

 

The new contract calls specifically for AT&T to custom-design a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service for Hickman, Williams & Company. The new network is based on the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology, which will be used to prioritize network traffic, therefore making communication easier for Hickman, Williams & Company’s 10 different locations in the U.S. and Canada.

 

The network’s new setup will allow Hickman, Williams & Company to deploy VoIP services in the future if it wishes.

 

“With a strong reputation for providing reliable and dependable services, AT&T was an obvious choice for us,” commented Hickman, Williams & Company’s IT manager Sandy Hartman in a statement. “Their voice and data network services will provide dramatic efficiencies and deliver a host of new capabilities to our employees.”

 

AT&T also announced today that its Government Solutions division was chosen by the U.S. Marine Corps to provide support for the Secret IP Router Network (SIPRNET) among all of the military organization’s commands globally. The new contract is reportedly valued at $9.4 million. SIPRNET is an interoperable command and control IP data network at the Department of Defense. The network is mainly used for exchanging information at the SECRET classification level.

 

The contract calls for AT&T to specifically provide the U.S. Marine Corps with Network Management, Information Assurance and Program Management for the SIPRNET Refresh Program. AT&T agreed to also expand Wide Area Network (WAN) security features including firewalls and intrusion detection systems, as well as upgrading SIPRNET WAN PoP transport and routing capabilities.

 

Be sure to check out TMCnet’s Whitepaper Library, which provides a selection of in-depth information on relevant topics affecting the IP Communications industry. The library offers white papers, case studies and other documents which are free to registered users.

 

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