Harris Corporation, the system integrator for the upcoming 2010 U.S. census, has selected Sprint as the exclusive wireless data provider to help automate the process and to provide wireline and wireless data support to collect the information in real-time. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Beginning in April 2009, approximately 140,000 field workers carried the Harris custom-built devices operating on the Sprint network, with the ability to transmit collected data back to the Census Bureau in near real-time. In addition to their unique data collection capabilities, all hand held devices were equipped with GPS capabilities (allowing workers to verify addresses remotely without relying on printed maps) and fingerprint ID scanning for added security.
In addition, Sprint is providing several other solutions for this program, including:
- Approximately 500 Sprint Global MPLS sites across United States, allowing local Census offices to connect on a single IP-based network
- Roughly 1,500 managed devices including routers, switches, firewalls and Intrusion Detection Service (IDS) for additional security
- More than 150,000 active telemetry wireless devices that will allow workers to collect data remotely, resulting in more accurate reporting and substantially less use of paper
- About 1,500 mobile broadband connection cards
- Significant professional services and integration expertise such as on-site security management, dedicated program management, and data center hosting services from Sprint, providing the critical infrastructure "glue" for one of the most complex activities of 2010.
