ATLANTA, Aug. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Telecom, a subsidiary of Southern Company, today announced a strategic partnership with ARCADIS to support Atlanta's Operation Shield initiative – a program that leverages communications between the Atlanta Police Department (APD) and private sector security to address crime prevention and emergency preparedness. Through the partnership, Southern Telecom and ARCADIS are providing the fiber optic and wireless network solutions supporting 92 video surveillance cameras in downtown Atlanta.

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"Southern Telecom's fiber network is delivering the reliable and diverse backhaul capabilities necessary to support Atlanta's Operation Shield initiative," said Southern Telecom Business Development Manager Leif R. Ericson. "We are pleased to help enhance the city's crime prevention and emergency preparedness efforts in partnership with ARCADIS."

The City of Atlanta hired ARCADIS, an international company providing consultancy, design, engineering and management services in the fields of infrastructure, water, environment and buildings, as a consultant to provide engineering and integration services throughout the city. ARCADIS engaged Southern Telecom as a trusted partner and built the necessary infrastructure by combining ARCADIS' designed and implemented wireless mesh with Southern Telecom's fiber optic cables. The infrastructure enables surveillance connectivity to the APD's Video Integration Center (VIC).

As part of the project, Southern Telecom provided ARCADIS a ringed dark fiber network connecting two Atlanta police stations, the VIC and backhaul from the meshed wireless video camera network.

"The partnership between ARCADIS and Southern Telecom helped make this phase of Operation Shield a reality," said Wassim Selman, infrastructure division president of ARCADIS. "Southern Telecom's fiber networks and the wireless video network designed by ARCADIS provide Operation Shield the necessary technology to keep Atlanta safe."

About Southern Telecom

Southern Telecom is a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company that provides long-haul and metropolitan dark fiber connecting Atlanta with other smaller cities throughout the Southeast. The company also provides network elements such as rights of way, dark fiber, conduit, co-location and other related maintenance services. Southern Telecom is certificated as a telecommunications provider in Alabama, Florida and Georgia and also at the federal level. For more information about Southern Telecom, please call (404) 506-5120 or visit www.southern-telecom.com.    

About ARCADIS:

ARCADIS is the leading pure play global engineering and consultancy firm, providing consultancy, design, engineering and management services in infrastructure, water, environment and buildings. We enhance mobility, sustainability and quality of life by creating balance in the built and natural environments. ARCADIS develops, designs, implements, maintains and operates projects for companies and governments. With 22,000 employees and more than $3.3 billion in revenues, the company has an extensive international network supported by strong local market positions. ARCADIS supports UN-HABITAT with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world. Visit us at: www.arcadis-us.com.

About Southern Company

With 4.4 million customers and nearly 46,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast through its subsidiaries. A leading U.S. producer of clean, safe, reliable and affordable 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 energy innovation, excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company and its subsidiaries are leading the nation's nuclear renaissance through the construction of the first new nuclear units to be built in a generation of Americans and are demonstrating their commitment to energy innovation through the development of a state-of-the-art coal gasification plant. Southern Company has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer and listed by DiversityInc as a top company for Blacks. The company received the 2012 Edison Award from the Edison Electric Institute for its leadership in new nuclear development, was named Electric Light & Power magazine's Utility of the Year for 2012 and is continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.

SOURCE Southern Company