The Arlington, Tex., lender First Cash Financial Services Inc. has agreed to use AT&T Inc.'s domestic and international networking services.
AT&T announced the three-year deal Thursday to provide virtual private network services for the nearly 250 pawnshops and payday lending locations that First Cash operates in the United States. AT&T said it also will connect 190 First Cash locations in Mexico on a separate network.
The telecommunications company valued the contract at $7 million.
Doug Orr, First Cash's chief financial officer and executive vice president, said in an AT&T press release that his company "needed a service provider that offered not only a secure, reliable network solution, but also a global footprint."
Mr. Orr also said that the flexibility of AT&T's offering would help First Cash with its plans to expand in the countries that it already serves.
