AT&T (NYSE: T) is bringing its IP VPN services to the SWIFT community in the Middle East, giving the region's financial institutions more networking tools for business continuity.
Having served as a preferred network provider to SWIFT since 2002, AT&T has signed agreements with various multinational companies to provide its IP VPN services in over 1,000 locations worldwide.
With Dubai as its regional hub for the Middle East and Africa, AT&T provides MNCs in the region access to a number of services, including IP VPN hosting, security and global connectivity.
The ability to provide access to IP VPNs has become a key requirement for any service provider playing in the global business services market. Many service providers, including AT&T, have been upping their game by expanding their Ethernet access reach to IP VPNs.
According to Vertical Systems Group, the ability to provide access to Layer 3 VPNs has become a table stakes requirement that all of the global provider need to compete effectively for MNCs' business.
"The VPN piece of that is clearly one of the growth drivers because the building of networks is using Layer 3 VPNs since they have been around longer and their availability has been greater," said Rosemary Cochran, principal of Vertical Systems Group, in a previous interview with FierceTelecom. "Large capacity connections and data center connections there has been an uptick in Ethernet access replacing legacy circuits in terms of speed."
Providing access to IP VPN has been a solid business for AT&T. During the second quarter, the telco reported that amid a tough economy, advanced business solutions -- including VPN, Ethernet and hosting services -- grew 15 percent year-over-year. These advanced services represent an $8.4 billion revenue stream.
For more:
- see the release
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