Verizon Business Receives 'Unified Communications' Magazine's 2008 Product of the Year Award

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - Verizon Business is the recipient of a 2008 Product of the Year Award from Technology Marketing Corporation's (TMC) Unified Communications magazine for the company's Managed Unified Communications & Collaboration Service.

The service provides large-business and government customers with management of the newest capabilities of the Cisco Unified Communications System Release 7.0.  Launched in December 2008, the service enables enterprises to deploy the latest in unified communications and collaboration (UC&C) technology, while helping reduce the complexity of managing, monitoring and maintaining these solutions.  Verizon Business is the first global service provider to deliver a managed service based on the Cisco Unified Communications System Release 7.0.

"This award from TMC and Unified Communications magazine underscores our commitment to delivering innovative solutions to help customers address critical business objectives," said Nancy Gofus, senior vice president - global business products, Verizon.  "Verizon Managed Unified Communications & Collaboration Service is a cost-effective, highly scalable solution that helps businesses and governments streamline business processes, drive employee productivity, accelerate decision-making, enhance customer service delivery and control costs."

D. Blair Crump, group president - worldwide sales, Verizon Business, said, "This recognition highlights our focus on meeting customer needs. We provide all the right tools and capabilities that enable our enterprise customers to leverage technology to achieve their business objectives and remain competitive."

By utilizing existing Internet protocol (IP) networks and Verizon Business' managed services capabilities and professional services expertise, the Managed Unified Communications & Collaboration Service builds on the robust capabilities and features of the Cisco Unified Communications System Release 7.0.  

The service delivers advanced end-user functionality by integrating business applications with key UC&C components, including mobility, instant messaging (IM) and "presence," which provides the status of an end-user's availability online or by phone.  It also offers expanded click-to-conference options and the ability to simultaneously contact colleagues by various phones and IM.

"Verizon Business has proven its commitment to quality and excellence, while addressing real customer requirements in the marketplace," said Rich Tehrani, president of TMC and editor-in-chief of Unified Communications magazine.  "Unified Communications is pleased to grant a 2008 Product of the Year award for Verizon Managed Unified Communications & Collaboration Service.  We're proud to honor Verizon Business' dedication and accomplishments, and look forward to the company's continued innovation and commitment to customers in the years to come."

Verizon Business' comprehensive portfolio of advanced collaboration services uses the company's global IP network as the foundation to deliver innovative and flexible collaboration solutions to large-business and government customers around the world.  Verizon Business offers conferencing, mobility, VoIP, contact center, and managed and hosting solutions, as well as professional services capabilities, to help customers maintain the performance and security of communications networks and advanced IP-enabled applications.

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.

About Unified Communications Magazine
Launched in July 2007, Unified Communications magazine is devoted to educating enterprise decision makers on why and how they need to deploy unified communications (UC) solutions.  Every issue of Unified Communications magazine features a comprehensive news section; case studies of successful deployments and lessons learned; interviews with leading hardware and software companies; and an 'industry' section, featuring analysis of important mergers and acquisition, partnerships and a Wall Street perspective on the unified communications market.  Unified Communications has a readership of 100,000.  For more information, please visit www.uc-mag.com.

About TMC
Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) is a global integrated media company helping our clients build communities in print, in person and online.  TMC publishes Customer Interaction Solutions, INTERNET TELEPHONY, Unified Communications, and NGN Magazine.  TMCnet, TMC's Web site, is the leading source of news and articles for the communications and technology industries.  TMCnet is read by two to three million unique visitors each month worldwide, according to Webtrends.  Ranked 2,724 by Quantcast, TMCnet is in the top .03% most visited Web sites in the US.  In addition, TMC produces ITEXPO, 4GWE Conference, Digium|Asterisk World and Communications Developers Conference.

TMC also recently launched new industry-specific Web sites: IT.TMCnet.com, Cable.TMCnet.com, Robotics.TMCnet.com, Satellite.TMCnet.com, and Green.TMCnet.com.

For more information about TMC, visit www.tmcnet.com.

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