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

AT&T Solution to Connect Arch Coal Headquarters With 20 Locations Nationwide

ST. Louis, Missouri.-AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) has announced that Arch Coal Inc. (NYSE:ACI), 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.