NEW YORK - January 28, 2002 - As part of an on-going strategy to provide its largest customers with innovative business solutions, Verizon has created a service offering for customers ready to migrate all or part of their existing voice network to an Internet Protocol (IP) infrastructure. The offering comes at a time when the evolution of IP telephony technology and the current economic environment are driving expanded customer interest in converging multiple voice, video and data networks into one.
The Cisco suite of IP telephony products, powered by its Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data (AVVID), is being bundled with a broad array of professional services from Verizon. Complementary data transport services will also be offered by Verizon. Professional and project management services - assessment, analysis, design, implementation and maintenance - are increasingly necessary for the successful operation of today's complex network infrastructure.
Verizon's offering will help customers avoid implementation difficulties by providing up-front network and physical site assessments that identify potential migration pitfalls and pinpoint existing data network equipment that requires upgrade to handle voice traffic. In addition, comprehensive planning will help customers develop the processes and procedures necessary for the successful convergence of their multiple networks.
"Customers have told us they want to try this technology but want to work with a company that understands voice traffic and the impact of migrating that traffic to a data network," said Edward F. McGuinness, senior vice president, marketing, Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group. "This is something Verizon has already done in parts of its own network and the Cisco IP telephony product set is one of several options we will be offering our customers eager to be early adopters of this new technology."
Verizon is finding that customers are interested in testing IP telephony to determine the potential benefits to their particular business. These benefits can include lower cost of ownership, ease of use and management and greater scalability. Costs are lower with a single infrastructure for both voice and data. IP telephone sets are easy to use: As employees change work locations, the sets can simply be unplugged, moved and plugged in at the new office. IP phone systems can support thousands of users while being administered remotely, eliminating the need for onsite support personnel.
This offering leverages Verizon expertise in voice migration and network integration and addresses customer readiness to converge voice, video and data onto a single network. By working with Cisco, Verizon is able to offer customers a broad portfolio of IP telephony options to help them successfully evolve their networks - whether they are opening new branch offices or replacing legacy phone systems.
The Cancer Research Center of Hawaii - University of Hawaii is one of the first Verizon customers to converge its disparate voice, video and data networks by implementing a solution that includes Cisco IP telephony products. The facility's legacy voice system had run out of capacity and the network implementation team wanted to deploy a flexible, cost effective technology capable of supporting cutting-edge applications to an ever-growing number of users.
The University of Hawaii chose Verizon because of the company's extensive network integration expertise, comprehensive professional services and the ability to support the Cisco products. Scalability and ease of expansion to accommodate remote sites were additional key factors in the customer's decision making process.
Verizon has been a Cisco Gold Certified Partner for the past seven years and has a large contingent of employees with specialized Cisco training and certification. Cisco Gold Certified Partners deliver the highest level of customer support, have expertise in at least three channel specializations and consistently attain favorable customer satisfaction ratings. Verizon has secured the training, skills and knowledge to help accelerate the adoption of solutions using Cisco equipment by obtaining five of the company's channel specializations - advanced security, IP telephony, network management, voice access and wide area networking.
Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group manages the design, operation and maintenance of end-to-end total network integrated solutions for large business and government customers across the United States. With 14,500 employees in 46 states, Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group offers a complete range of basic and advanced communications products and services to meet the voice, video, data and IP-related needs of its customers. For more information on products and services available through Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group, visit www.verizon.com/enterprisesolutions.
Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 128.5 million access line equivalents and 28.7 million wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. A Fortune 10 company with 256,000 employees and approximately $65 billion in annual revenues, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.
