AT&T recorded significant revenue growth in India in the first half of 2004. Most of its growth has been driven by demand for MPLS-based IP VPN services and End-to-End ATM Services.

According to the company, "The bandwidths on our backbone have increased by more than eight times since the beginning of the year. We are also witnessing increasing demand for managed security services, remote access options as well demand for IPLCs."

This clearly indicates that AT&T is bullish about its business prospects in India given the country's strong economic growth.

The report adds, "The industries showing strongest demand for our services include both foreign multinational and Indian companies. The key industry segments that are using our services are - BPO/call centers, software development houses, financial institutions, manufacturing and logistics companies, as well as media outlets."

AT&T's alliance with VSNL has been working successfully and has further augmented its IP VPN offerings, thereby allowing AT&T to provide a more comprehensive portfolio of services to its business customers.

Some of the regional highlights of the company for the year 2004 include

The Asia Pacific region is AT&T's fastest growing region worldwide.

The region recorded revenue growth of more than 15 percent last year and the company has exceeded 20 percent growth in its retail business for first half of 2004.

AT&T has won some outstanding business this year, including three agencies of the New Zealand

Government for 40 sites in 35 countries valued at US$9 million.

Other regional investments in the year include a new Internet Data Centre (IDC) in Singapore opening in late September.

Currently trialing CallVantage and VOIP services in Asia Pacific. A pilot of the product is beginning in the region. Between 200-to-300 units will be trialed in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand among staff of AT&T's corporate customers. General availability of VOIP service to business customers will begin in late September.

AT&T has had tremendous success with SWIFT in Asia Pacific and globally. 80 percent of available business in China and between 60-75 percent in other markets such as HK, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia.

So far AT&T gas signed more than 190 contracts in Asia and has had similar success rates in the US and other global markets.

AT&T won the Telecom Asia Award for 'Best Managed Services Carrier' (its sixth award in seven years). It also won awards for customer service from Telemark and Yankee, while the Gartner Magic Quadrant report has positioned it in the leadership quadrant once again in all four regions.

AT&T continues to anticipate and respond to business trends by working closely with EIU on research projects. For example, the company released the EIU Security White Paper in July and the next one will focus on VOIP in September.