IP Communications

AT&T has announced a new five-year outsourcing agreement with Amtrak, the nation's passenger rail service.

 

AT&T (News - Alert) officials said as part of the contract, the company will provide a package of telecommunications networking services, including managed security services to help protect Amtrak's telecommunications network infrastructure.

 

Officials said that AT&T will implement and manage Amtrak's Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and Enhanced Virtual Private Network (EVPN) to help connect more than 400 locations and converge multiple networks to a single, global network platform. 

AT&T will also manage 25,000 ports across Amtrak's Local Area Network (LAN) and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). These technology solutions will help Amtrak to simplify the management of its telecommunications and support its efforts to deliver value to its customers faster.

 

Amtrak officials said that the company will be utilizing a broad set of security services from AT&T to help protect its mission critical website, and the personal information of every passenger.

 

AT&T will implement Network and Premises-Based Firewalls, which will provide secure inbound and outbound Internet access directly into the telecommunications network. Through AT&T Intrusion (News - Alert) Detection Services (IDS) and Intrusion Protection Services (IPS), AT&T will monitor Amtrak's networking infrastructure for potential misuse from internal and external sources.

 

AT&T IDS & IPS work together to help detect, contain, and neutralize endpoints on the network that are spreading threats or violating security policies.

 

Under the terms of the contract, Amtrak will also use AT&T voice services, including long distance, audio and web conferencing.

 

AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world.

 

Among their offerings are the IP-based business communications services, the nation's 3G network and the best wireless coverage worldwide, and the nation's high speed Internet access and voice services.

 

TMCnet in May reported that AT&T and Jasper Wireless have entered into a multi-year, strategic agreement to connect and support a variety of emerging consumer electronic and business devices on AT&T's nationwide wireless network.

 

AT&T officials said that the company’s emerging device organization will capitalize on the Jasper Wireless (News - Alert) platform to provide the applications and design services necessary to accelerate market entry for new categories of connected devices on AT&T's network, including personal navigation, e-readers, mobile internet devices, gaming, healthcare, tracking, and in-car navigation systems, among others.