FTS

FTS: Historically, the telecommunications service initiated in 1964 by the Federal government to provide a consolidated communications capability to support the agencies with voice and data services that could endure when the public switched network was congested or otherwise incapacitated. GSA has awarded and maintained the FTS network since its inception. The FTS2000 designator was used in the 1988 contract award, and the FTS2001 was used in the 1999 contract award. In 1988 GSA began using the term FTS to include all services provided in the Federal community to support communications, including local, long-distance and international services, regardless of media or transport. See FTS2000, FTS2001.