AT&T Awarded $17 Million Networking Contract From JM Family Enterprises
Auto industry giant takes advantage of technology to expand capabilities
DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., Feb. 16 -- AT&T announced today it has been awarded a multi-year contract from JM Family Enterprises Inc. (JMFE) to provide an integrated networking platform that enables the company to improve customer service, expand capabilities and reduce costs. The contract is valued at $17 million.
JMFE is a $7.6 billion diversified automotive company whose principal businesses focus on vehicle distribution and processing, finance and warranty services and insurance activities. Ranked by Forbes magazine as the 15th-largest privately held company in the United States, JMFE subsidiary Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC is the largest, exclusive franchised distributor of Toyota cars, trucks and vans in the world.
"The AT&T solution is key to our plans to migrate to a distributed networking model that moves more resources and capabilities closer to our users," said Brian Harrison, JMFE's Director of Telecommunications. "We're finding our applications run faster, our system response time is better, and our users are happy - plus, we're reducing costs."
Harrison said JMFE decided some months ago to use a standardized networking platform and take full advantage of technology to support its full line of growing businesses. As a result, JMFE changed its multi-vendor approach to telecommunications and formed a strategic relationship with one company that could provide a fully integrated networking solution.
Under the contract, AT&T provides high-speed fiber-optic connectivity among data centers serving JMFE in Florida, Colorado and Texas. AT&T is in the process of linking the company's Deerfield Beach, Fla., corporate headquarters to local and long-distance switching centers via an OC-12 ACCU-Ring, a
high-speed fiber-optic system with built-in automatic restoration capabilities.
JMFE's 175 locations throughout the U.S. receive fast, easy and secure online access to key business applications over an Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network (IP VPN). Each site has high-bandwidth T-1.5 access to the VPN, enabling virtually instantaneous access to the company's data bases and applications, including parts and vehicle inventory information, training materials, sales promotions and pricing information. The VPN also enables linkage with suppliers, helping JMFE manage just-in-time inventory management.
The VPN solution safeguards JMFE's network through secure encryption of data, and the IP foundation easily accommodates introduction of new or additional capabilities as technology or the company's needs evolve. Also, it is designed to provide flexible bandwidth - offering significant savings, with pricing based on bandwidth demands - and can grow with JMFE's business.
In addition, AT&T will provide an array of dedicated and switched inbound and outbound toll-free services to support JMFE's customer service centers in Deerfield Beach, St. Louis and Mobile, Ala. JMFE benefits from toll-free advanced features by increasing efficiency, speed of customer service and reduced lost or abandoned calls.
The AT&T networking solution enhances JMFE's business continuity plan by supporting uninterrupted access to mission-critical networking applications and information in the event of a disaster.
"Data is the lifeblood of JM Family's businesses," said AT&T Vice President Charles Fairbank. "We understand the importance of having a secure, reliable network for the company to communicate with its various divisions. We look forward to helping JM Family grow and expand its business."
About AT&T
For more than 125 years, AT&T (NYSE "T") has been known for unparalleled quality and reliability in communications. Backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T Labs, the company is a global leader in local, long distance, Internet and transaction-based voice and data services.
About JM Family
Ranked by Forbes magazine as the 15th-largest privately held company in the United States, JM Family Enterprises, Inc. (JMFE) (www.jmfamily.com), headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Florida, is a recognized leader in the automotive industry. In January 2004, JMFE was ranked by a survey in FORTUNE(R) magazine as the 19th Best Company to Work For in America, and the highest-ranking Florida company. In September 2003, JMFE ranked for the second time on the InformationWeek 500 listing of the nation's leading information technology innovators. In addition to Southeast Toyota Distributors, other JMFE core businesses include: World Omni Financial Corp., offering a complete range of customer-driven automotive financial products and services and the JM&A Group of companies, providing warranty and insurance products and services to automobile dealerships throughout the country. In addition, JM Lexus is the largest volume retail Lexus dealership in the world.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991018/ATT )
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991018/ATT