Verizon Business Receives Major European Partner Accolades From Cisco

Verizon Business has received two significant accolades from Cisco for the company's activities in the European market. Cisco has named Verizon Business its 2008 Service Provider Partner of the Year for the Benelux region (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg), and has also given the company's French operations Cisco's prestigious Customer Satisfaction Excellence accolade.

Stuart Curzon, Verizon Business' EMEA group vice president, said: "These awards recognize the close working relationship we have developed with Cisco, which benefit our mutual customers through the combined strengths of our two companies in delivering innovative IP services that power global enterprises.  While these two regions have deservedly received special recognition, Verizon Business over the past year has further accelerated our close collaboration with Cisco worldwide, enabling Verizon Business to quickly and efficiently deliver services based on advanced Cisco-based technologies to enterprise customers around the globe."

The 2008 Service Provider Partner of the Year Award - Benelux recognizes Verizon Business' support of Cisco's Advanced Technologies during the early stages of their development in the Benelux region. In particular, the award recognizes Verizon Business' ongoing success in the managed services arena, incorporating managed networks, unified communications and security solutions.

The Customer Satisfaction Excellence gold star granted to Verizon Business in France is the highest distinction a partner can achieve within the Cisco Channel Partner Program. Based upon Cisco customer satisfaction ratings, the awards are granted quarterly to those certified partners that have achieved consistently high customer satisfaction ratings within their geographic region.

Andy Lockhart, vice president of Cisco for Benelux, said: "Cisco believes strongly in rewarding outstanding partner achievements that make a significant contribution to market growth and success. These two awards are testament to the Verizon Business team's knowledge and expertise - but also the company's overall commitment to excellence in partnering."

Verizon Business manages 270,000-plus devices on more than 4,200 customer networks in 142 countries and territories, overseeing non-Verizon connections from more than 60 network providers around the world.  Verizon Business' industry-leading service-level commitments and award-winning IMPACT management platform underscore its legacy of service and innovation.  Verizon Business also offers a suite of professional network and security services to help customers optimise network design, scalability and protection.

Verizon Business has also received recognition for the company's work in the U.S. and Canada.  The company has been named Cisco 2008 U.S. Managed Unified Communication & Collaboration (UC&C) Partner Provider of the Year, Cisco Public Sector Partner of the Year for the U.S. and Canada, the Cisco Top U.S. Public Sector Service Provider Partner for Services, and the Cisco U.S. Enterprise Partner of the Year for the South region.  Verizon Business and Northrop Grumman were also named Collaboration Excellence Partners of the Year - U.S. and Canada for the companies' efforts to transform the state of Virginia's IT infrastructure by executing enterprisewide technology initiatives. 

About Verizon Business
Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with the world's most connected IP network to deliver award-winning communications, IT, information security and network solutions. We securely connect today's extended enterprises of widespread and mobile customers, partners, suppliers and employees - enabling them to increase productivity and efficiency and help preserve the environment.  Many of the world's largest businesses and governments - including 96 percent of the Fortune 1000 and thousands of government agencies and educational institutions - rely on our professional and managed services and network technologies to accelerate their business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.

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