BellSouth Provides Converged Data Networks for Mississippi Businesses

BellSouth Provides Converged Data Networks for Mississippi Businesses

- Network-based VPN Service Unifies Customer Networks, Provides Added Security and Flexibility -

JACKSON, Miss., Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Sta-home Health Agency, a provider of comprehensive home health care services for patients in Mississippi, is one of many companies using an innovative data networking service from BellSouth to share information between locations. The network-based solution enables Sta-home Health Agency to integrate multiple locations securely into one seamless network.

"As a Healthcare provider, we are very sensitive to maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of our patients," said Barry Davis - director, information technology, Sta-home Health Agency. "BellSouth's Network VPN Service is utilizing the most innovative routing technology available today, providing us with flexible connectivity and giving us a higher degree of security than traditional networks."

Many businesses have the challenge of linking multiple office locations to corporate resources -- each location with its own unique access type requirements. The growth of telecommuters and business travelers that need access to critical company information has also created additional complexities for corporate networks. In the past, companies have had to self- integrate and manage these disparate networks to allow branch locations and remote workers to communicate with one another and headquarters locations. BellSouth(R) Managed Network VPN Service enables customers to shift the responsibility for network integration and configuration of their wide area networks (WANs) to the service provider. The VPN Service is transported over BellSouth's private Internet Protocol (IP) backbone, which utilizes the security and flexibility of MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) to allow internetworking of multiple access methods (DSL, Ethernet, ATM, Frame Relay, and Private Line).

"Regardless of company size or budget, customers want full integration, flexibility and security from the data networks that serve as the communication backbone of their companies," said Joan Kratz - vice president of marketing, BellSouth Business. "BellSouth Managed Network VPN delivers an efficient solution that meets the custom requirements of businesses and allows effective sharing of corporate data."

Information security is a major concern for the financial community and this was a key consideration when Community Bank of Mississippi began exploring ways to connect branch offices to its headquarters in Forest, Miss.

"The Internet was out of the question, but BellSouth's Network VPN gave us a secure, cost effective alternative. We were impressed to learn that the solution meets the strict SAS70 financial institution guidelines expected by the FDIC and auditing community," said George Taylor - vice chairman, Community Bank of Mississippi. "Our bank recently expanded into Tennessee and we are already looking to add new locations to the existing network."

Because the Network VPN service runs over BellSouth's private IP backbone, customers can effectively support additional next generation applications, such as voice over IP (VoIP). Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC, the largest Mississippi-based law firm, uses the Network VPN to support both voice and data communication between its Jackson, Miss. and Memphis, Tenn. offices.

"The voice quality is extremely clear," said Ken Jones - director, computer network and information technology, Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada. "We also share Internet access across the network, allowing us to benefit from the additional security of the network-based firewall."

BellSouth Network VPN customers include businesses of all sizes across industries such as Retail, Healthcare, Education, Manufacturing and Financial Services. For more information about BellSouth's complete portfolio of voice and data solutions for business customers, visit www.bellsouth.com/business .

About BellSouth Corporation

BellSouth Corporation (NYSE:BLS) is a Fortune 100 communications company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and a parent company of Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless voice and data provider.

Backed by award winning customer service, BellSouth offers the most comprehensive and innovative package of voice and data services available in the market. Through BellSouth Answers(R), residential and small business customers can bundle their local and long distance service with dial up and high speed DSL Internet access, satellite television and Cingular(R) Wireless service. For businesses, BellSouth provides secure, reliable local and long distance voice and data networking solutions. BellSouth also offers online and directory advertising through BellSouth(R) RealPages.com(R) and The Real Yellow Pages(R).

More information about BellSouth can be found at www.bellsouth.com .


Source: BellSouth Corporation

CONTACT: Todd Smith of BellSouth Corporation, +1-404-829-8723, or
todd.smith@bellsouth.com

Web site: http://www.bellsouth.com/
http://www.bellsouth.com/business

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/095650.html


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