Verizon Business SMB Solutions Team Advances Collaboration Capabilities for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF), the leader in research leading to better treatments and a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications, will be able to better coordinate the efforts of its extensive network of employees, volunteers, advocates and corporate partners - thanks to an advanced Verizon Business communications and collaboration platform.

Under a new three-year agreement, Verizon Business' small- to medium-sized business (SMB) solutions team is providing the Internet protocol (IP) foundation for voice-over-IP (VoIP) communications and Web-based video meetings. 

With these new capabilities, the JDRF can effectively and efficiently disseminate information announcing research advancements, industry partnerships, advocacy campaigns, and the organization's national fundraising activities, including the Walk to Cure Diabetes program.

"Communications, whether it's with our chapters across America or to our research partners worldwide, are critical to our continued success," said James Szmak, vice president and chief information officer of JDRF.  "Verizon provides us a robust and cost-effective solution to communicate with voice, video and data instantly, anywhere across our extensive network. By taking the time to understand and respond to our very specific requirements, Verizon Business is helping us take our organization to the next level of efficiency and performance."

The JDRF is leveraging Verizon Business' award-winning IP Trunking service with Burstable Enterprise Shared Trunks (BEST) over Verizon Private IP, a global multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) virtual private network service.  The BEST capability of IP Trunking allows JDRF to use idle IP trunk capacity in one location to accommodate an increase in traffic at another location.  This reduces the total number of voice communications trunks required to link JDRF's more than 530 employees at 80 offices.  In addition, JDRF employees will be able to simply dial four digits to reach each other for VoIP or video calls, speeding communications and collaboration.

The JDRF is also working with Cisco® to employ the Cisco WebEx™ solution for Web-based meetings with face-to-face video.  All JDRF employees will have a webcam for on-demand video calls and collaboration sessions. Verizon's Private IP network supports the quality and classes of service and bandwidth-on-demand capabilities to support intermittent video transmissions. 

In addition, the JDRF will employ Verizon Secure Gateway service to enable secure Internet connectivity to the Verizon Private IP network. At its smallest chapters with five employees or less, the JDRF will use Internet DSL services for reliable, high-bandwidth communications, through the Secure Gateway for added protection.

"We're providing the JDRF with communications and collaboration tools that will help them combat this devastating disease," said James Geary, vice president of SMB sales for Verizon Business.  "Verizon Business is a pioneer developing and delivering advanced IP technology for businesses, and the JDRF is a terrific example of how we are helping mid-sized organizations achieve big-business transformations enabled by IP and advanced collaboration tools."

Verizon Business SMB Solutions

Verizon Business gives SMB customers the best of both worlds - enterprise-grade capabilities used by top global companies combined with tailored solutions and local accountability.  In today's economy, it's vital that companies of every size harness technology to help them work more productively and efficiently.  Verizon Business marries integrated solutions with a focus on reliability, simplicity and value to enable growing, entrepreneurial organizations.  For more information, visit http://verizon.com/businesspower. 

About JDRF
JDRF is a leader in setting the agenda for diabetes research worldwide, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of type 1 research. The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Type 1 diabetes is a disease which strikes children and adults suddenly and requires multiple injections of insulin daily or a continuous infusion of insulin through a pump. Insulin, however, is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its eventual and devastating complications which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation.

Since its founding in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.3 billion to diabetes research, including more than $156 million in FY2008. In FY2008 the Foundation funded more than 1,000 centers, grants and fellowships in 22 countries.

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 one of the world's most connected IP networks 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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