HRS Harris Corp.

Harris Corporation Selects Sprint to Support New NOAA Contract Sprint to Provide Private Line and Frame Relay Services for IJPS Program OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprint announced today that Harris Corporation -- a leader in satellite communications equipment and integrated network control and support systems -- has awarded Sprint a one-year contract to provide private line and frame relay services as well as Cisco router maintenance to support a key National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) program, the Initial Joint Polar- orbiting Operational System (IJPS). The contract, with future options, could have a total value of nearly $1.5 million. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO ) The new NOAA award marks the second recent teaming of Sprint and Harris. Sprint also works with Harris in support of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) FTI program to integrate and modernize that agency's telecommunications infrastructure. "Sprint is pleased to once again work with Harris, especially in support of this important national weather program," said Tony D'Agata, vice president and general manager for Sprint's Government Systems Division. "Teaming agreements like these play an important part in being able to provide the government sector with product diversity and quality services that span many different technology disciplines." Under the contract, Harris Technical Services Corporation (HTSC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Harris Corporation, will use Sprint transport to provide communications services between the current National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite Operations Control Center in Suitland, Md., and the center for European meteorological satellite operations in Darmstadt, Germany. Harris will also utilize its Maritime Communications Services network operations center in Melbourne, Fla., to configure and monitor the IJPS network. The IJPS program is the result of a cooperative effort between NOAA and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites. It is comprised of two polar-orbiting satellite systems and their respective ground segments. The IJPS will provide and improve meteorological and environmental forecasting and global climate monitoring services worldwide, contributing to and supporting the World Meteorological Organization Global Observing System, the Global Climate Observing System, the United Nations Environmental Programme, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, and other related programs. The purpose of the IJPS program is to facilitate the NESDIS POES ground system's support of future POES satellites, as well as the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) Meteorological Operational (MetOp) series of satellites, which are scheduled to be launched beginning in 2005. Under the IJPS agreement, NOAA and EUMETSAT will share resources in a cooperative venture beneficial to both parties and to the world's meteorological community. Sprint Government Systems Division ( http://www.sprint.com/gsd ) is based in Herndon, Va., and offers the full range of Sprint product and service offerings for federal and state government customers. About Sprint Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately 70,000 employees worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all- digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local communications services in 39 states and the District of Columbia and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.sprint.com/ . http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Sprint CONTACT: Media, Steve Lunceford of Sprint, +1-703-904-2073, Web site: http://www.sprint.com/ http://www.sprint.com/gsd

Copyright