Sprint wins contract for emergency communications

Sprint Communications Co. LP received a contract from the Homeland Security Department to continue a communications system program that improves telecommunications in the event of a disaster, the company said yesterday.

The award is a firm fixed-price contract with a $7.1 million face value and a total value of $19.6 million for a 47-month base period and three two-year options.

The Government Emergency Telecommunications Service program improves national security and emergency preparedness telecommunication services during natural or manmade disasters, the company said. It uses the surviving assets of the public-switched network to provide priorities and routing alternatives unavailable to regular telecom traffic.

Under the contract, the program will continue within Sprint's long-distance network.

Sprint Communications is the long-distance subsidiary of Sprint Corp. of Overland Park, Kan.