AT&T launches cloud-based storage

AT&T Inc, the biggest U.S. telephone company, will offer Web-based data storage services for corporations. AT&T has selected EMC Corporation, a world leader in information infrastructure solutions, as the “cloud computing” technology provider.

With this, AT&T will deliver a service of offering storage, joining International Business Machines Corp, Amazon.com Inc, Symantec Corp, Iron Mountain Inc and others. This service allows users to transfer information to remote storage facilities via Internet.

As AT&T said the service would be run from two data centers, located in USA.

Cloud-based storage is still young industry. According to market researcher Gartner’s forecast the revenues from that service will grow 22% this year to almost $400 million.

Cloud-based storage services don’t require companies to purchase storage equipment and pay maintenance expenses. The only requirement is paying for space as it is used at an agreed rate per gigabyte per month.