Horizon Lines Selects XO Communications' Converged Enterprise Solution to Simplify Network Management

XO Communications (News - Alert) made it known today that it will now be assisting Horizon Lines, Inc., one of the nation’s leading domestic ocean shipping and integrated logistics companies, by offering its converged enterprise voice, data, and network security solution for simplified network management with converged MPLS IP-VPN, SIP trunking, and hosted network security solution. By implementing this solution, XO Communications and its business partners hope to specifically simplify the management of Hosted Lines’ network infrastructure and reduce costs.

The three-year agreement requires that XO deliver a converged enterprise network solution including XO MPLS IP-VPN, XO Enterprise SIP trunking, and XO Hosted Security. This XO solution will support all of Horizon Lines’ communications by securely connecting more than 20 domestic and international locations, according to a press release today. In doing this, Horizon Lines will be able to more successfully consolidate its voice and data communications to create a full-managed, secure, next-generation IP infrastructure to support VoIP and Internet connectivity, as well as other corporate applications.

"Consolidating our data and voice applications onto a single, secure managed IP network is expected to simplify our operations, increase operational efficiencies, and improve communications across our locations," said Jeff Yeager, general manager and CIO at Horizon Lines. "The solution designed by XO Communications and their partner Richardson (News - Alert) Communications proved to be the most forward-looking in terms of technology, network management and support for our future growth."

XO’s MPLS IP-VPN will also work to provide the high-performance intelligent wide area network platform which Horizon Lines requires to successfully maintain advanced communications, the release states, as well as preserve networking and security needs and efficiencies. Additionally, the Class-of-Service network provides the necessary intelligence for prioritizing vital applications – including VoIP traffic.

XO Enterprise SIP trunking will ultimately help Horizon Lines deploy a top-of-line, centralized IP-PBX architecture based on Microsoft (News - Alert) Lync Server 2010, delivering voice services to each location via the XO MPLS IP-VPN.

Horizon Lines expects to be able to more easily manage security across its network while using XO’s services, as they will deliver robust network security capabilities through the cloud rather than needing equipment at every location.

"This new win was truly a partnership between XO Communications and Richardson Communications," said Rachel McNeese, president of Richardson Communications and Consulting. "We worked together as a team to provide a holistic solution for Horizon Lines, whose managers embraced cutting-edge technology and entrusted the project to the team we assembled. This is a true testament to working together within the partner community and doing what is right for the customer."

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