AT&T Partners with Intel on Remote IT Support for SMBs
Live virtual helpdesk will be accessible via encrypted Internet connection, will then connect directly to affected PC for diagnosis.
AT&T and Intel have a joint plan for bringing remote PC tech support to SMBs.
AT&T Tech Support 360, an IT virtual helpdesk that provides live, permission-based remote technical service for SMBs, is expected to support Intel vPro technology starting in the first half of 2010, according to AT&T.
Under this collaboration, Intel Remote PC Assist Technology (Intel RPAT)–a feature of Intel vPro technology–would enable SMBs experiencing PC problems to enter a keystroke sequence on a failed computer to connect it with technicians via an encrypted Internet connection. The Tech Support 360 technicians would then address the PC remotely, even when it has been inoperable due to such problems as hardware or operating system failure or corruption by a virus or malware.
Tech Support 360 provides remote 24/7 support by U.S.-based technicians and includes setup, configuration, troubleshooting, and performance optimization for PCs, laptops, Wi-Fi networks, and peripheral network devices as well as smartphone setup and configuration.
More than 100,000 small businesses have purchased Tech Support 360 service since its launch last fall in the United States. AT&T will be the first U.S. service provider in the telecom industry to offer remote access support services built on Intel vPro technology.
The announcement comes on the heels of AT&T’s having announced expanded availability of Tech Support 360 to SMBs with 20 to 50 employees.
For information about other SMB products and services from AT&T, the company has site up a dedicated Web page.
Below is a promotional video demonstating the benefits of Tech Support 360 for SMB clients:
