The Securities Industry Association has entered into a “major” agreement with MCI to offer Internet services to its 600 member-firms.
Under terms of the agreement, MCI will deliver a wide range of Internet related services, including managed hosting, Internet access, security, Private IP, video and Net Conferencing solutions, to SIA members.
SIA says the deal will help members better utilize Internet technology to conduct electronic transactions, process and share confidential documents, research market trends, host Web-based meetings, and enhance communications with customers.
SIA adds that firms can use MCI’s dedicated Internet products and services to securely link to investors, financial institutions, brokerage firms, federal and state lawmakers, regulatory agencies, and industry utilities.
“The agreement with MCI will enable SIA member-firms to receive cost-effective business services at favorable rates,” says SIA Executive Vice President Donald D. Kittell. “In fact, the MCI deal will give firms access to some of the most advanced, secure, and high performance Internet services and products available today.”
SIA member-firms will also be able to take advantage of MCI’s expertise in developing and maintaining tailored Internet solutions. MCI will work with individual firms to address their business continuity, disaster recovery and security requirements, either through fully managed or customer-managed solutions.
“MCI is focused on helping customers like SIA put IP technology to work for its member-firms, while ensuring their Internet networks are continuously available 24/7,” says Steve Young, senior vice president, MCI Commercial Services. “With MCI’s IP services, SIA members can further streamline their operations and better manage the accounts of tens of millions of investors active in U.S. and foreign markets.”
SIA members can also fulfill critical security and regulatory requirements through MCI’s extensive suite of Internet security solutions, including managed network protection, intrusion detection, vulnerability assessment, remote scanning and anti-virus, anti-spam services.
Information technology staffs can now offload the burden of managing their security by outsourcing the consulting and design, configuration and installation, maintenance, software upgrades, 24/7 management and monitoring, backup and restoration services to MCI. In addition, through MCI’s secure Customer Care portal, firms can gain online access to a wide variety of Web-based tools for real-time network management and troubleshooting, online ordering, electronic billing and payment options, training and real-time network performance reporting.