AT&T Awarded an Estimated Five-Year, $500 Million Contract From the State of Texas to Help Improve Citizen Services

DALLAS, July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The State of Texas is putting technology to work for its citizens. Through a new contract with AT&T* that AT&T estimates is worth $500 million over five years, the State aims to improve services such as handling high call volumes to information lines, providing the latest traffic information, and expediting child support payments.  

The contract could span 10 years and AT&T expects that it could be worth up to $1 billion if all options are exercised by the many, varied customers of the State of Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR). Under the scope of the contract, AT&T will provide a broad array of advanced voice and data services. This builds upon AT&T's longstanding relationship with the State, providing communications services for more than 25 years.    

AT&T's services are helping the State cost-effectively adopt new and emerging technologies to meet a broad scope of public service and business requirements. For example:

• The Health and Human Services Commission will have the ability to use advanced technologies to more efficiently handle high call volumes such as 211 callers seeking information on a broad array of State programs like the Women Infants and Children Program (WIC) that provides food for women and children in need.
• The Texas Department of Transportation will be able to create significant savings on many services including for callers who need current traffic information such as emergency evacuation routes, iced- over roads, and even where Texas Bluebonnets are blooming.
• The Office of the Attorney General will be able to use innovative technologies to aid in the collection of child support payments for families of Texas.

"We want to help accelerate the State of Texas communications technologies into the 21st century," said Karen W. Robinson, Chief Technology Officer, the State of Texas. "Advanced technologies can help us dramatically improve the ability of State agencies, academic institutions, and governmental entities to meet the needs of all of the State's constituents quickly and effectively."

AT&T will supply networking services to the State of Texas in support of the Texas Agency Network Next Generation program (TEX-AN Next Generation). TEX-AN Next Generation supports the communications needs of more than 600 publicly-funded entities, including Texas agencies, cities, counties, councils of government, independent school districts, higher education institutions, and assistance organizations.

"The DIR leadership team and our staff have worked hard to put together "Next Generation" network technologies and solutions to meet the needs of our citizens. AT&T not only makes its home in Dallas, but also has advanced technology labs in Austin," said Carl Marsh, Director, Communications Technology Services Division, State of Texas DIR.

"AT&T has a proven track record of helping organizations transform their operations with choice and simplicity, enabling them to better serve constituents," said Xavier Williams, Senior Vice President of Public Sector and Healthcare at AT&T. "As a premier networking services provider, we will continue to deliver our best to the great State of Texas."

To learn more about the how AT&T is assisting State and Local governments, visit http://www.corp.att.com/stateandlocal/.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) 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. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.  

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