Looks like the worst carrier over in the states as a recent Consumer Reports survey revealed, AT&T is doing a little communications business with UK tech company Smiths Group in the form of a deal which is worth about $150 million over a term of six years.

According to an article over on Business Week, AT&T has stated they are to develop “a common communications infrastructure” across the 300 Smith Group operational globally which will enable Smiths’ to reduce operational costs by using cloud computing and other tech.

The Smiths Group manufactured products for contraband detection, aviation; medical and other business’s and back in 2000 chose AT&T to develop a worldwide area network. Smiths Group expects to save roughly $5 million a year through the deal with AT&T as reported by Smiths.com, although they say the deal is for 5 years and not 6.

Furthermore apparently AT&T has also signed a worldwide networking deal with German engineering company Linde for an undisclosed figure, reports an article over on Global Telecom Business.

Personally I can’t see why Smiths Group would opt to give AT&T a $150 million contract when AT&T is constantly coming out at the bottom of surveys when it comes to networks in the US, but perhaps this deal will alleviate the loss of their exclusivity over the iPhone when it happens.