AT&T, Qwest, Verizon win U.S. Govt Telecom Contract

AT&T, QWEST, VERIZON WIN US GOVERNMENT TELECOM CONTRACT
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Rachelle Younglai]
The U.S. General Services Administration cast Sprint Nextel aside and picked AT&T, Qwest and Verizon on Thursday for the largest-ever federal telecommunications contract. Government agencies are expected to spend at least $20 billion on the contract over 10 years, the GSA estimates -- a move that will overhaul the government's telecommunications services. Under terms of the GSA contract, called Networx Universal, agency spending could be increased to as much as $48 billion. The announcement comes after weeks of anticipation and years of preparation. The four companies have spent millions of dollars preparing bids and called on thousands of their employees to develop proposals and hammer out the details. The failure to include Sprint is seen as a huge upset as it has provided telecommunication services to U.S. government agencies for 18 years.
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSWAT00723320070329

* Largest Ever Network Services Acquisition Awarded (GSA press release)
http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?pageTypeId=8199&channelId=-13259&P=&contentId=22827&contentType=GSA_BASIC
* Government Telecom Deal Omits Sprint
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/29/AR2007032901061.html