Qwest gets Wyoming network services work

Qwest Communications International Inc. won a six-year, $24.7 million contract from the Wyoming Education Department to furnish network services for a statewide system connecting more than 400 public schools.

Under the contract, Qwest of Denver will add enhancements to the Wyoming Equality Network, including additional connectivity, greater bandwidth, improved security, new voice over Internet protocol capabilities, increased scalability and better network management.

Qwest originally worked with the state of Wyoming to build the network in 1998. The network connects all public schools in the state to give students and teachers access to the Internet, interschool connectivity and a connection to the statewide education network. It also provides video connections for distance education in all high schools throughout the state, thus supporting about 3,000 hours of distance learning per month.

Qwest has about 40,000 employees and posted annual revenue of about $13.9 billion in fiscal 2005. The company ranks No.55 on Washington Technology's 2005 Top 100 list of federal prime contractors.