PORTLAND, Ore. — AT&T announced today it has signed a $1 million networking contract with SmartStop Inc., a provider of innovative telecommunications-based solutions to the trucking industry.

The three-year agreement allows SmartStop to offer enhanced, flexible and cost-effective telecommunications access to truck stop owners in 19 states. With more than three million professional truck drivers logging more than
400 billion miles each year in the U.S., truck stop travel plazas serve as one-stop resource centers for professional drivers on the road.

Through AT&T’s Integrated Network Connection Service (INCS), SmartStop now offers truck stops a bundled solution that combines voice, data and Internet Protocol (IP) services onto a single communications line. Truck stop owners can use this flexible “plug and play” access for a broad range of communications capabilities to help serve their customers more effectively while lowering telecommunications costs.

SmartStop uses the service to enable truck stop owners to access real-time sales information and manage inventory. For example, while on the road or in their corporate offices, truck stop owners can learn how many tires were sold or how many lube services were completed that day or week, at a particular truck stop or at all of its travel plazas in a state or region.

SmartStop also provides truck stop owners with the ability to validate customers’ charge cards faster than before. In addition, owners are able to conduct on-site as well as remote visual security surveillance of their travel plazas to mitigate theft and liability.

“By applying AT&T’s industry-leading technology, we’re able to help our customers better manage their growing communications requirements, cost-effectively and with an eye towards future applications,” said Dain Nestel, vice president, operations, at SmartStop. “INCS also helps us simplify our communications infrastructure by replacing multiple vendors with AT&T’s integrated service.”

For more information, visit www.smartstop.net