Worldspan Awards AT&T $30 Million IP-VPN Contract

Worldspan, an Atlanta-based online transaction processor for online travel agencies, has awarded AT&T a three-year, $30 million networking contract and named AT&T its provider of choice for North America.

AT&T will deploy a secure, high-speed network-based Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network solution connected to a fiber ring at the host site.

The Atlanta-based company provides travel information, Internet products and connectivity, and e-commerce capabilities for travel agencies, travel suppliers and corporations.

Worldspan's global distribution system (GDS) provides 16,000 travel agencies and other users worldwide with travel data and booking capabilities for approximately 800 of the world's leading travel service suppliers.

Officials say major airlines and large, high-volume travel agencies will be able to access Worldspan's systems using a dedicated high-speed IP circuit that connects directly to the fiber ring provided by AT&T (offered under the Ultravailable Network, or UVN brand).Smaller customers, including independent travel agencies, can access the database by using the same dedicated IP technology or lower cost DSL Internet-based technologies to securely connect to the UVN ring.

AT&T will also provide Worldspan with a business continuity service. In the event of natural disaster, major technical failure or other catastrophe, AT&T will back up Worldspan's entire database at its Atlanta-area Internet Data Center.