Qwest stamped as trusted Internet authority

Qwest Government Services is now the second Networx telecommunications contract holder to earn the General Services Administration’s Managed Trusted IP Service authority to operate governmentwide and under both Enterprise and Universal contracts.

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“Now that we have the governmentwide [authority to operate], we're ramping up our efforts to market MTIPS to the agencies,” said Qwest spokesman Tom McMahon.

Two days after receiving the ATO, Qwest invited agency representatives to an event featuring its MTIPS solutions and engineering team, McMahon said.

The ATO, issued Sept. 13, states that the Federal Acquisition Service’s Office of the CIO has done a security review of Qwest’s MTIPS systems. As with AT&T Government Solutions, which received its MTIPS ATO in May, the CIO review team identified weaknesses in the carrier’s MTIPS systems and certified the planned fixes before issuing the ATO.

Sprint Nextel Federal Programs and Verizon Federal Business have yet to receive their GSA ATOs, although this does not prevent them from offering MTIPS services under Networx.

“AT&T, Qwest, Sprint and Verizon all offer MTIPS services, and agencies are free to make fair opportunity decisions and place orders now,” GSA noted. “Making these MTIPS decisions now will ensure all agencies seeking Trusted Internet Connections services will be fully protected by the Jan. 31, 2011, Office of Management and Budget deadline.”

Agencies may do their own reviews and issue their own ATOs; GSA’s ATO cuts out a step in the process of implementing TIC.