AT&T has won three five-year contracts worth up to $50m from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide voice and data services and devices for the agency’s nationwide workforce.

AT&T will serve as the primary wireless provider to FEMA and is expected to provide secure, reliable wireless data and voice communications for email, voice, and data applications in the field. Devices will include mobile devices, smartphones, and wireless laptop cards. FEMA can procure additional wireless applications from AT&T based on the needs of the agency.

FEMA will receive a combination of AT&T’s LaptopConnect wireless cards, BlackBerry 8820 smartphones, and the 3G LG CU405 units, which provides FEMA employees with Push To Talk capability. LaptopConnect and the BlackBerry 8820 smartphone will also provide wireless connectivity to the AT&T Wi-FiSM network.

Don Herring, senior vice president at AT&T’s government solutions division, said: With the proven reliability, bandwidth, and speed of our network, AT&T Government Solutions can help FEMA employees access the information they need for real-time decision making in the field while ensuring they can collect, access, and transmit this information in a secure environment at all times, regardless of location.

AT&T Government Solutions already provides voice and data services to the Department of Homeland Security and several of its agencies, including US Customs and Border Protection, Transportation Security Administration and several others.