COLUMBIA,Spirit Telecom, with BellSouth acting as a major subcontractor, has won a contract to upgrade the sate of South Carolina’s statewide data network.

The contract is worth $85 million.

BellSouth will provide service to some 70 percent of the locations covered by the deal, according to a BellSouth spokesman.

South Carolina chose to deploy an advanced Internet Protocol-based network with multi protocol label switching (MPLS) technology.

“The MPLS technology will provide a more economical and reliable network, while allowing multiple access options from any location within the state,” Spirit said in a statement. “MPLS technology enables traffic engineering and enhanced performance of IP transport, while simultaneously facilitating quality of service. This IP transport technology allows customers to communicate with enhanced voice, data, and video solutions over a common network platform.”

The contract also calls for the development of a web site to enable online access for billing, ordering, provisioning, service level management and reporting of network trouble.

Spirit Telecom was formed in 2002. It is owned by several independent phone companies, including:

  • Bluffton Telephone
  • Chesnee Telephone
  • Chester Telephone
  • Comporium Group:
  • Fort Mill Telephone Company
    Heath Springs Telephone Company
    Lancaster Telephone Company
    Rock Hill Telephone Company

  • Farmers Telephone
  • Hargray Telephone
  • Home Telephone
  • Horry Telephone
  • Lockhart Telephone
  • Palmetto Rural Telephone
  • Pond Branch Telephone
  • Piedmont Rural Telephone
  • Ridgeway Telephone
  • Sandhill Telephone
  • West Carolina Rural Telephone

    • Spirit: www.spirittelecom.com

    BellSouth: www.bellsouth.com

    Note: This story was updated to correct the name of the company awarded as the lead for the new contract.