VZ: Verizon Business Announces the Availability of its Full VoIP Portfolio for the International Market

Verizon Business has announced the availability of its full VoIP portfolio for the international market, offering a full suite of VoIP solutions on a single integrated network-based VoIP platform. New enhancements to the portfolio include a Managed IP PBX service, extended European availability, local language interfaces, local ringtones and additional access methods. The full portfolio offers customers a simple and efficient way to transition their voice and data services to IP technology at their own pace, irrespective of their stage of IP implementation.
A fully Managed IP PBX service has been added to the Verizon VoIP portfolio, complementing IP Integrated Access, Hosted IP Centrex and IP Trunking services. This enables customers to outsource the implementation and management of their premises-based IP telephony systems to Verizon Business. IP Integrated Access enables customers to implement VoIP solutions while keeping the traditional PABX in place, whereas IP Trunking connects an IP PBX to the Verizon Business enterprise data network and public voice network using a single IP connection. Hosted IP Centrex is a robust, flexibly scalable and feature-rich VoIP service delivered from a fully hosted and managed platform. The full suite enables customers to benefit from VoIP technology no matter what their stage of IP transition.

Portfolio availability has now been extended to six European countries (adding Belgium and Luxembourg to the U.K., France, Germany and the Netherlands), with customers now also supported by local-language customer Web interfaces and local ringtones.

In addition, a greater variety of access methods, including BRI PABX connectivity for IP Integrated Access, as well as Ethernet and DSL access for all VoIP network services, has broadened the connectivity choices available to large enterprise customers with sites of varying sizes.

John Irvine, vice president of international marketing for Verizon Business, said: "Our VoIP portfolio is recognised as an industry-leading platform for IP transition, and we're delighted that we can now offer our full portfolio to the international market. Our customers are increasingly moving toward an integrated IP environment, and our VoIP portfolio offers a perfect platform on which they can build their future communications solutions at their own pace.

"For Verizon Business, VoIP is an enabler in the move toward a single, network-hosted IP environment, where IP-based tools such as VoIP, conferencing and Instant Messaging will all work in harmony to enhance business collaboration and performance."

Peter Hall, research director at Ovum, the analyst and consulting company, said: "Enterprise VoIP is now seeing mainstream adoption as businesses of all types increasingly recognise the benefits of VoIP. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for enterprise VoIP, and we are now seeing a broad range of solutions from leading suppliers to address the needs and pace of adoption of most businesses."

About Verizon Managed IP PBX
Verizon Business' Managed IP PBX service enables customers to transfer management of their IP telephony systems to Verizon Business. The service offers continuous IP PBX management and optimization, as well as aid in the planning, designing and implementation phases of the service. This delivers a true end-to-end VoIP solution with high levels of performance and reliability, offering integration to the Verizon VoIP platform through Verizon Business' IP Trunking product.

Enhanced Geographic Availability and Local Language Support
Verizon Business' global IP footprint, extensive voice network coverage and in-country existing voice services enable Verizon Business to offer one of the most extensive VoIP portfolios available. European availability in France, Germany, the Netherlands and the U.K. is now also being extended into Belgium and Luxembourg. Verizon VoIP is also available in the United States, South Africa and Canada. Local language (French, Dutch, German and British English in addition to U.S. English) customer Web interfaces and local ringtones are now available in these countries, providing a fully localized IP telephony end user experience.

Site-to-site VoIP capabilities are also available in an additional 11 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland). Verizon Business plans to extend availability of its VoIP portfolio to Asia-Pacific in early 2007. Additional Access Methods

Verizon Business' global fibre leased line network is one of the largest in the world. With Ethernet and BRI PABX connectivity to its IP network, in addition to the existing Primary Rate Interface connectivity interface option, customers can align access to the benefits of VoIP solutions according to their individual site requirements and infrastructure. Digital subscriber line (DSL) for smaller sites will be available by the end of 2006. Customer sites of any size and set-up will therefore be able to connect and communicate across the Verizon Business VoIP platform.

Verizon Business' Irvine added: "This announcement is evidence of our strong ongoing dedication to the expansion of our advanced IP communications network. Verizon Business is committed to supplying advanced, high quality VoIP services to companies across the world supported by industry-leading SLAs, and we look forward to bringing the benefits of IP communications to an even broader audience as we move into 2007."