REVISITED
GTE Will Offer Wireless to Federal Agencies GTE Corp., Stamford, Conn., has won the General Services Administration's Federal Wireless Telecommunications Services contract (WT, Nov. 7). The eight-year contract has an estimated value of $300 million. The only other bidder for the contract, AT&T, Basking Ridge, N.J., pulled out of the competition a few weeks ago because it felt the procurement was non-commercial in nature. Some speculated
Wang on a Local Roll
Wang Laboratories Inc., Billerica, Mass., has acquired another infotech company in the Washington area (WT, Aug. 8).
On Nov. 13, Wang bought Alexandria, Va.-based Advanced Paradigms Inc., an enterprisewide, Microsoft-specific LAN/WAN solutions provider, for approximately $5 million. According to a statement released by Wang, API's expertise with Microsoft's products complements the company's network and desktop services business.
LCI International Growth Continues
LCI International, McLean, Va., announced plans Nov. 13 to expand its direct sales operation, which currently includes 45 sales offices and network operating facilities in 36 U.S. cities. The new offices will be added in Boston, Denver , Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa, Fla., and Los Angeles.
The management team at LCI, made up of former MCI employees, (WT, Sept. 26) also got good news this month. The company received a three-year, $7.2 million contract from Market USA. The contract, a renewal of LCI's services to the organization, allows LCI to be the exclusive provider of long distance services to the telemarketing company based in Des Plaines, Ill.
IBM Adds Another Notch to Its E-Commerce Belt
IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., last week added the latest to its string of industry-specific electronic commerce projects (WT, Oct. 24). Following major announcements in retail merchandising, banking and education, IBM announced new network products and services for the insurance industry.
IBM's Insurance Commerce, as it is called, is designed to use network computing to help insurance companies move into electronic commerce.
The services connect insurers, agents and service providers, as well as enable insurance companies to sell directly over the Internet.
Over the past year, IBM has been creating electronic commerce services and alliances in each of its 12 designated areas of business. Analysts say the end goal is to create a nationwide network controlled by IBM.