Expanding technology in telecommunications: companies share new product info, trends.

• Author: Barbour, Tracy
• Position: TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY: SPECIAL SECTION - Company overview

Telecommunications, the transmission of messages over significant distances for the purpose of communication, has come a long way. It has evolved from relaying of messages by Morse code, telegraph and telephone to communicating over the worldwide network of computers known as the Internet.

Modern telecommunications involves the transfer of voice, data and, increasingly, video over a variety of devices. While the objective remains the same--communications--the delivery mechanisms are steadily expanding. Companies like Alaska Communications, AT&T Inc. and GCI offer a variety of new products and services to meet the growing demand of businesses. This article synopsizes some of the latest offerings from each provider, as well as interesting trends that are at work in the industry.

Solutions From Alaska Communications

Alaska Communications has a long history as a provider of wireless services in Alaska. Recently, the Anchorage-based company changed its brand name (from Alaska Communications Systems) and expanded its operations to help businesses manage their data.

Alaska Communications invested $2 million to acquire 49 percent of TekMate, the state's largest privately owned information-technology company. The strategic partnership combines the strength of both companies. Alaska Communications continues to supply the underlying infrastructure, including a recently installed undersea cable system connecting Alaska to its data-hosting center and other Lower 48 networks. TekMate offers personalized network solutions and a range of managed IT services, such as desktop support, desktop and server hardware, operating systems management, LAN monitoring and security services.

"We've come together to manage technology in business, to manage the data that companies use every day," says Alaska Communications COO Anand Vadapalli.

Through its partnership with TekMate, Alaska Communications offers a variety of managed IT solutions and services. It's a good niche, considering the phenomenal amount of data that businesses post, manage and move around. That data can involve e-mail, video or other communications being transferred from desktop PCs, laptops or mobile handheld devices. Regardless of the type of data and devices involved, Alaska Communications and TekMate handle the management side.

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"We are able to host, secure and move the data, making it available when and where they need it," Vadapalli says.

Companies can use Alaska Communications as their solution provider, instead of maintaining their own server to house data. The company houses customers' data remotely, providing the computers, servers and other technology to support the process. It's a cost-effective option that allows customers to have centralized management of their data.

VIRTUALIZED STORAGE AND HOSTING

Virtualized storage from Alaska Communications also allows organizations to reduce their technology costs. The service, launched around the middle of this year, allows to remote-storage capacity on an as-needed basis. The company also offers a disaster recovery/business continuity solution that makes it easier for customers to remain operational when facing a business disruption or natural disaster.

"If anything happens to their information, it will be backed up at another location," Vadapalli says.

Disaster recovery is particularly critical for Alaska businesses, which often deal with rough terrain, severe weather and great distances between cities. Alaska Communications' disaster recovery/business continuity solution provides extra protection. The company offers a variety of data-hosting products designed to help customers...