MONROE, La. – CenturyLink installed and donated high-speed connectivity to the hospital ship U.S. Naval Ship Mercy when it arrived at the port of Los Angeles from San Diego Friday, March 27.

When the ship entered the port, CenturyLink was at the dock working with military personnel, the port authority and commercial providers to meet the project’s demanding 48-hour timeline.

The USNS Mercy is being specially deployed to assist with COVID-19 response efforts and is usually used to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The Mercy will provide 1,000 extra beds and more than 800 medical personnel as a back-up hospital for patients needing critical medical services not associated with COVID-19, thus allowing local Los Angeles health professionals and area hospitals to focus on treating patients with COVID-19.

Due to the critical and complex nature of the work onboard, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) needed a technology company that could provide high-capacity network services safely, securely and quickly.

CenturyLink stepped up and is waiving installation fees and providing a 1 gigabit Ethernet circuit at no charge for 12 months that connects DISA’s shored-based Naval Air Station North Island to the USNS Mercy.

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