ATLANTA, Oct. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alabama Department of Finance's Division of Purchasing recently awarded SouthernLINC Wireless, a Southern Company (NYSE: SO), a statewide contract for portable 800 megahertz communication devices with Push To Talk two-way radio (PTT) service.

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SouthernLINC Wireless has held this contract since 1997 and was granted this year's bid as the lowest compliant bidder to the state's request for proposal. The new contract goes into effect Nov. 1, 2011, and has a renewal option for the next four years.

"SouthernLINC Wireless has consistently proven its value to the state of Alabama by giving state agencies a communications tool to efficiently accomplish their daily business," said Don Horsley, president and CEO of SouthernLINC Wireless. "Securing this statewide contract is a big win for SouthernLINC Wireless."

SouthernLINC Wireless uses Motorola's Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN) technology to provide the state of Alabama with immediate and private PTT communications. The SouthernLINC Wireless network also allows interoperability with other entities, including local municipalities, schools and utilities, enabling critical communications and recovery coordination during emergencies.

"The SouthernLINC Wireless network is digital and private," said Michael Smith, business and government sales director for SouthernLINC Wireless. "In fact, there is no known scanner that can intercept communications transmitted over the SouthernLINC Wireless network. This is a critical factor for many of our customers who transmit confidential information using their SouthernLINC Wireless devices."

In addition, the carrier's wireless network was built with redundancies, power back-ups and security features designed to ensure reliable communications, even during severe weather conditions, throughout the company's Regional Service Area.

SouthernLINC Wireless added these features when building its network to ensure that Southern Company employees could communicate with each other out in the field. In turn, customers like the state of Alabama benefit from the investments made in the SouthernLINC Wireless network.

About SouthernLINC Wireless

SouthernLINC Wireless, a Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is an Atlanta-based regional wireless carrier with network coverage in the major metro and rural areas of Alabama, Georgia, southeast Mississippi and northwest Florida. SouthernLINC Wireless combines multiple communication options, including Push To Talk two-way radio (PTT), cellular service, wireless Internet access, wireless data, and text and picture messaging, into one hand-held device. In addition to regional network coverage, the company offers nationwide access through roaming agreements for cellular, PTT, data, and text and picture messaging services in more than 540 cities throughout the U.S. For more information, please call 1-800-818-LINC (5462) or visit www.southernlinc.com.

About Southern Company

With 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company was named the World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility by Fortune magazine in 2011, and is consistently listed among the top U.S. electric service providers in customer satisfaction by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.

SOURCE SouthernLINC Wireless