Fireman's Fund Insurance Selects AT&T For Advanced Networking Services

Fireman's Fund Insurance Selects AT&T For Advanced Networking Services

New IP-Based Network Critical for Industry Leadership

NOVATO, Calif., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. (FFIC), one of the nation's leading property and casualty insurance companies, today announced a five-year, $42 million contract with AT&T for a secure, high-speed, integrated network.

AT&T's design and management of an Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network (IP VPN) will provide 4,500 employees in 60 FFIC locations across the United States with faster access to data on premiums, claims, insurance quotes and other critical customer information.

"We chose AT&T for its technology leadership and its ability to provide and manage a new, state-of-the-art communications network that optimizes and streamlines our business operations," said Fred Matteson, chief information officer for FFIC. "AT&T's advanced, cost-efficient technologies -- like VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) -- will further the company's corporate mission of making it easier for customers to work with us and is critical to our goal of using technology to lead our industry."

The new network, which replaces several disparate voice and data networks provided by multiple vendors, will also support FFIC's mission-critical applications, expanding the company's range of services both internally and externally. A key benefit of the new network will be the consolidation of an integrated voice-and-data system, allowing 60 different FFIC office locations nationwide to share a common communications platform, providing for significant time, service and control efficiency.

FFIC will also deploy AT&T Internet Protect(SM) to continuously and proactively monitor the network for potential cyber-security breaches. The service provides an early warning system to unusual activity and allows enterprises to predict and eliminate cyber-threats before they can damage critical business operations. In addition, FFIC will take advantage of AT&T BusinessDirect(R), a customer support and network management Web portal.

About AT&T

For more than 125 years, AT&T (NYSE:T) has been known for unparalleled quality and reliability in communications. Backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T Labs, the company is a global leader in local, long distance, Internet and transaction-based voice and data services.

About FFIC

Fireman's Fund Insurance Company is a premier property and casualty insurance company providing personal, commercial and specialty insurance products nationwide. FFIC is a member of the Allianz Group, one of the world's largest providers of property and casualty insurance and other financial services.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991018/ATT )

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991018/ATT
Source: AT&T; Fireman's Fund Insurance Company

CONTACT: Gordon Diamond of AT&T, +1-415-442-2268, or hgdiamond@att.com;
or John Kozero of Fireman's Fund, +1-415-899-2166, or John_M._Kozero@ffic.com

Web site: http://www.att.com/


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