February 2017

CenturyLink to Protect FCC Online Complaints

CenturyLink has secured a contract to handle even more online security for the Federal Communications Commission. In 2012, CenturyLink won a contract to provide MTIPS (Managed Trusted Internet Protocol Service) to the commission through 2017 at an estimated $2.64 million. The ISP said it has also won the contract to provide similar services to the FCC's Gettysburg (PA) IT facility, the primary nexus for FCC inquiries and complaints. That is valued at $875,000 over five years. “CenturyLink looks forward to providing its market-leading MTIPS infrastructure to the FCC’s Gettysburg IT center and helping protect both the center and the commission from network attacks,” said Erich Sanchack, CenturyLink senior VP and general manager, federal government. In December, CenturyLink secured an $11.4 million contract (three years at $3.8 million per year) to provide VoIP service to the state offices of U.S. senators. That contract could actually total $26 million if the government picks up four one-year options.

AT&T execs stuck in middle of Trump-CNN feud

How do you solve a problem like CNN? Top executives at AT&T, in the midst of acquiring Time Warner, are scratching their heads trying to figure out how to curry favor with the White House at the same time CNN’s journalists are putting the president under the Klieg lights. Indeed, Time Warner-owned CNN’s tense relationship with the Trump administration worsened earlier this week with a high-profile dispute between adviser Kellyanne Conway over whether she was being banned from the cable news channel. Then on Tuesday, “The Lead” anchor Jake Tapper conducted a tough interview with Conway over claims that the media underreported terror attacks. While AT&T boss Randall Stephenson has not tried to tone down CNN’s reporting, according to sources, the tension between the news channel and the White House concerns him.