Arch Coal Mines Lower Costs With AT&T Network Services As Summer Heats Up

ST. LOUIS, July 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T Inc. has announced that Arch Coal Inc. , one of the nation's largest and most efficient coal producers, has signed a three-year contract for network and voice services. Under the terms of the agreement, AT&T will deliver Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based Virtual Private Network (VPN) services and voice services over the AT&T Business Network platform.

Coal is the fuel source for 50 percent of the electricity generated in the United States. As a major player in the energy industry, Arch Coal must be able to move business-critical information across the country efficiently and cost-effectively.

With summer's arrival, much of the nation is quickly approaching its peak demand for electricity - air conditioners will run at full force. That demand makes it critically important for Arch Coal to have accurate information about customers' needs and the progress of coal deliveries. Whether that information is going to a technician at Black Thunder mine or an executive in St. Louis, AT&T's VPN is designed to provide the secure, reliable transport of customer data and applications.

"We strive to keep our cost of producing coal-based energy as low as possible," said Arch Coal's Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Michael Abbene. "We're continuously evaluating the latest technologies and embracing those that maximize our return on investment, which is why we chose AT&T to provide our network and voice services."

Previously Arch Coal operated on a different platform for its networking and data needs, and the move to AT&T's VPN for its network services provides a platform for increased communication efficiency and overall productivity. The technology selected by Arch Coal provides a base for adopting future technologies and voice and data integration.

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About Arch Coal

St. Louis-based Arch Coal is one of the nation's largest coal producers. The company's core business is providing U.S. power generators with clean- burning, low-sulfur coal for electric generation. Through its national network of mines, Arch supplies the fuel for approximately 6 percent of the electricity generated in the United States.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/.

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