Asia Global Crossing and Global Crossing score $400 million contract with U.S. Department of Defense
Global Crossing Government Markets, a unit of Global Crossing Ltd. (NYSE: GX), announced it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to provide advanced wide area network services for its Defense Research and Engineering Network (DREN). The contract has a three-year base with seven one-year options and is valued at $137 million with the potential to exceed $400 million over the contract life.
The DREN network is the Department of Defense's premiere long-haul communication service provider for the agency's High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP). Utilizing its high-speed Internet backbone -- the most advanced optical network -- Asia Global Crossing and Global Crossing will design, develop and manage a secure, virtual private network for DREN. Users of the Department of Defense network will be able to communicate and collaborate in real time throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam and other U.S. territories.
Global Crossing will support the HPCMP by linking over 6,000 scientists and engineers at defense laboratories, test centers, universities and industry sites throughout the United States and beyond via a single, contiguous fiber-optic network. Connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region will be provided by Global Crossing's affiliate, Asia Global Crossing.
Asia Global Crossing and Global Crossing will provide advanced data networking services, including: Internet Protocol (IP) service, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) service, and wavelength services, including video, audio, imaging and digital data. DREN also connects DoD's high performance computing community to other governmental, research and academic networks.
In addition, Global Crossing will allow DREN users to fully exploit the emerging data transport benefits of multi-protocol label switching (MPLS). Global Crossing's worldwide deployment of MPLS technology across a single autonomous system gives DREN subscribers increased capabilities in reliable, secure, low-latency transport across user-identified virtual private networks.
Global Crossing Government Markets, based in Washington, D.C., provides government entities with innovative global networking solutions over the world's largest and most advanced seamless optical network. An established communications provider to governments worldwide, Global Crossing serves government customers in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and, through its affiliate Asia Global Crossing, Asia Pacific.
In the United Kingdom, Global Crossing serves as the primary carrier to the U.K. Foreign Commonwealth office, linking 240 British Embassies and offices worldwide. Global Crossing Government Markets offers a portfolio of data, Internet and other network services for e-government initiatives, network outsourcing and global networking.
About Asia Global Crossing:
Asia Global Crossing (NYSE: AX) provides the Asia Pacific region with integrated telecommunications and IP services. For more information, visit www.asiaglobalcrossing.com.
About Global Crossing:
Global Crossing Ltd. (NYSE: GX) provides telecommunications solutions over an integrated global IP-based network. For more information, visit www.globalcrossing.com.