Summer 2011

Acquisition

Fall 2010

Summer 2010

Spring 2010

Fall 2009

2011-q3

President's Message

Synergy. As most of you know, CICAT is now part of Spacenet, Inc., and I am truly excited by the new opportunities and capabilities our combined company offers CICAT and Spacenet customers.

 

Over the past 18 years, CICAT's business and our industry has evolved. Achieving and maintaining Managed Network Services excellence in this new marketplace requires a rare combination of expertise, strength and agility. Your team at CICAT has always provided the flexibility and professionalism to meet your needs and exceed your expectations. As demand for our services grows, greater strength, more resources, and an even broader portfolio of products and services are required to achieve the level of service our customers deserve.

 

This is the synergy of CICAT and Spacenet. Founded in 1981, Spacenet has a 30-year track record of communications innovation. Last year alone, Spacenet processed more than 31 billion network transactions, and supported more than 130,000 sites for US-based business, industrial and government customers. Spacenet also operates a state-of-the-art NOC, 24/7 call center, has a nationwide service organization, and has set the standard for networking innovation for more than three decades. In short, Spacenet brings CICAT the strength and reach needed to deliver our unique approach to a larger market and to provide an even greater level of service and support.

 

And CICAT brings Spacenet a renewed spirit of focus and energy, as well as the unique CICAT methodology. Our expertise in broadband and managed services will assist Spacenet in fulfilling its mission to provide the finest vendor-agnostic network solutions on earth, in the cloud, and beyond.

 

Synergy - of people, of services and of vision - that's what the CICAT/Spacenet team brings you. It's a combination of strength and agility that delivers broader service offerings, increased value and an even greater commitment to delivering the ultimate in customer service.

 

As always, I look forward to speaking with you soon, and welcome your comments and suggestions.

 

Brad Wise

 

Spacenet 101

An introduction of Spacenet services for CICAT customers

 

Spacenet, of course, has a legendary reputation for satellite-based communications services, but their expertise covers so much more. Over the last decade, Spacenet's excellence in “terrestrial” services has quietly become perhaps the industry's best-kept secret. Today's Spacenet has leveraged its technological leadership and ability to think outside-the-box to develop one of the broadest portfolios of product and services available anywhere on earth.

 

From primary communications for corporate applications and secure data transfer, to hot stand-by solutions for continuity of operations and network backup, to field deployable solutions for disaster recovery and emergency management, Spacenet's portfolio of Managed Network Services offers an unparalleled combination of network solutions, including:

 

Implementation and Support

• Solution Design and Deployment
• Post-Sale Support
• SLA's

 

 Security

• Secure Hosting
• Security & VPN
• PCI Compliance Services

 

Connectivity

• Consolidated WAN Access
• Broadband, VSAT, MPLS, Cellular

 

 Value Added Services

• VOIP
• WiFi
• Multicast
• Merchant Connectivity

 

This broad portfolio of products and services, combined with CICAT's network deployment, network management, bill consolidation and change management services, provides customers with Full Lifecycle Management Solutions that make network reliability, functionality, administration and maintenance both cost-effective and worry-free. 

 

NOC, around the Clock  

Control for the Mission-Critical

 

Among the most significant advantages that Spacenet brings CICAT customers is a state-of-the-art Network Management Center (NMC) and Network Operation Center (NOC), and a nationwide service and support organization. Spacenet operates its own end-to-end services infrastructure including network management, field services and earth station facilities in Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Georgia; and Chicago, Illinois.

 

Providing service and support to a diverse customer base including enterprise, small- to mid-sized businesses, and residential customers, the Spacenet NMC and NOC provides a wide range of monitoring and support functions including:

 

• Proactive site level problem recognition and resolution
• Reactive problem management and trouble resolution
• Technical support to installers
• Technical support to on-site maintenance providers
• Site commissioning
• Site repair confirmation and technical support to end-users
• Support via telephone, e-mail and/or IRC
• Billing and account management  

 

In addition to the NOC and NMC, Spacenet's professional service organization offers an extensive range of ISO 9000 certified network installation, support and management services, including: 

 

• Network equipment, cabling and antenna installation
• Commissioning, final test and checkout
• Onsite repair, service and support
• 24 x 7 US-based call center
• Dedicated Program Managers
• Complete life cycle management
• Equipment limited warranty (10-year MTBF)
• Onsite Maintenance Plans
• Next Business Day, Same Day, 24 x 7 Service Options
• Repair, Refurbishment and Depot facilities 

 

To learn more about Spacenet's NOC and nationwide service organization, visit the Spacenet website. www.spacenet.com

 

Air Apparent

A down to earth look at VSAT's role in the multi-technology network

 

One of CICAT's strengths has always been our ability to provide an unbiased, carrier-neutral evaluation of network technologies, based on the unique needs of the customer and the specific site. And while today's Spacenet has quietly become one of the leading providers of Managed Network Services of all kinds, the company made its name in space. In this light, we took a fresh look at VSAT technology.

 

Options for high-speed connectivity, both wired and wireless, have increased significantly over the past several years. This provides the ability to bring affordable broadband to more of our customers' sites faster. However, while land-based options proliferate, VSAT technology continues to offer unique capabilities that should not be overlooked - particularly for disaster recovery and business continuity applications.

 

Satellite is the only broadband wide-area network technology that is available everywhere - in urban and rural areas of the U.S. (and around the world). Land-based technologies, whether wired or wireless, are likely to share a common “pipe” somewhere along the journey from point A to point B. On the other hand, a satellite network offers far fewer potential points of failure, all with complete redundancy, and operates completely “off the grid” of land-based technologies. This provides a powerful option for organizations that require ubiquitous, redundant and emergency-resilient network capabilities. 

 

In fact, the VSAT option is another significant advantage that the CICAT/Spacenet team brings our customers. While CICAT, Spacenet and even a few of our competitors can bring together a multi-carrier, multi-technology hybrid network, Spacenet's leadership and specialized expertise in satellite technology is a powerful differentiator for customers for whom business continuity is absolutely critical.

 

If you're interested in learning more about adding VSAT into the network mix, shoot us an email, or visit www.spacenet.com.

 

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