Local Technology Company Taps Socket To Strengthen Disaster Recovery Plan

Columbia, Mo.—Leaders of Central Technology Services, a Jefferson City-based IT company providing technology services for more than 126 branches of 14 Central Bancompany affiliate banks, recently tapped Socket to help them upgrade their disaster recovery plan for their voice and data networks.

In the past, CTS worked with more than a dozen different providers to manage local and long-distance telephone services for many different bank locations. Solving problems meant multiple phone calls, wasted time on hold, and it was impossible to know the providers on a personal level. Also, using a multitude of telephone service providers meant they couldn’t reroute customer calls to another branch location if phone lines went down due to inclement weather or other problem like a cable cut.

“Our goal is to provide bank employees with the most reliable voice communications and high-speed networks possible,” said Rick DeClerk, manager of network communications at Central Technology Services. “By doing so, our community banks are able to function as efficiently as a national bank while maintaining the feel of a local company.”

Socket was able to propose a new telecom solution that would consolidate services for many of their locations, improve disaster preparation and save the company money.

“Socket offered enhanced reliability, greater personal attention and better features at a lower cost,” DeClerk said. “Switching our voice services to Socket was really a no-brainer.”

The switch involved moving more than 3,000 phone numbers to Socket’s network with no interruption in service. About 1,400 of those numbers have already been switched, and the entire statewide transition is scheduled for completion in 2009.

In addition to providing local telephone services for 22 locations, Socket also helped CTS make their Internet network more redundant and physically diverse. Some of the affiliate banks also rely on Socket to connect their local branches to one another.

As CTS grows along with Central Bancompany’s affiliate banks, disaster preparedness efforts will continue. DeClerk hopes to expand the business continuity Socket has provided to even more locations.

“We look forward to opportunities to convert more of our sites to Socket in the future,” said DeClerk. “We’re planning on sticking with them for a long time to come.”

Founded in 1994, Socket is a Missouri-based telephone and Internet service provider with the largest service coverage in the state. Socket is a privately held company that provides business customers a choice for local and long-distance phone service. It combines the highest quality customer service with in-depth technical knowledge to provide customized phone service packages. Socket also offers high-speed DSL and accelerated dial-up Internet service to both business and residential clients. Socket provides service to more than 20,000 customers in more than 400 cities across Missouri. For additional information, please visit: http://www.socket.net.