Verizon Business Takes Complexity Out of Building Networks Across Borders

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - To provide multinational enterprises with a simpler, cost-effective way to build, support and manage their global networks, Verizon Business is rolling out a new single-source model for the procurement of customer premises equipment (CPE) and other support services in 122 countries and territories.

The new model bolsters and simplifies the services that Verizon Business provides to support CPE - from billing and contracting to logistics and financing.  In addition, the company has reached an array of global agreements with seven leading equipment manufacturers, distributors and resellers, thus enabling enterprise customers to take full advantage of volume discounts and other advantageous terms.

"In the past, obtaining customer premises equipment and related services was often a time-consuming, fragmented process, requiring large businesses and government entities with global networking requirements to negotiate several contracts, often on a country-by-country basis," said Nancy Gofus, senior vice president - global business products, Verizon. 

"Our new approach eliminates many of these obstacles and enables us to deliver global solutions with a local touch, supporting the networks of today and the applications of tomorrow. By offering customers a simplified way of doing business around the world, we are providing one more example of how we are helping organizations do more with less today," Gofus said.

(NOTE - An audio podcast describing Verizon Business' global CPE initiative is available here.)

Verizon's single-source model, which is centrally managed and locally delivered, features:

• Flexible Delivery Model - Customers can select best option for their needs, whether it's receiving the equipment and doing the rest themselves or out-tasking part or all of the entire network and applications to Verizon Business.

• Choice of Contracting and Billing Options - Ability to contract and bill centrally, regionally or locally to help customers control costs associated with multi-country deployments of CPE and related lifecycle and management support services.
• Simplified Logistics - Alleviates customer burden for global procurement and delivery of CPE by addressing country-specific import/export guidelines and shipping risks and helps reduce delivery intervals.
• Enhanced Financing Options - Verizon Credit, Verizon's wholly owned financing subsidiary, offers flexible and affordable financing options for customers seeking to purchase or lease equipment, or a combination of both.

Broad Vendor Ecosystem Delivers Transformational Value

Over the past few months, Verizon Business has reached agreements with Avaya, Cisco, Fluke Networks, Juniper Networks, NCR, TANDBERG and Tech Data/Azlan.  These world-class technology providers will offer the following communications solutions:

• Avaya - Contact center, IP telephony, mobility, unified communications.

• Cisco - Networking, conferencing, unified communications and collaboration, security, wireless LAN.
• Fluke Networks - Networked application performance, monitoring and analysis.
• Juniper Networks - Networking, security, unified access, WAN acceleration.
• NCR - Professional consulting and support services.
• TANDBERG - Telepresence and video conferencing.
• Tech Data/Azlan - Advanced logistics distribution services for equipment from multiple manufacturers.

"Avaya's new global agreement with Verizon Business strengthens the long-standing relationship between our two companies," said Brian Ahearn, vice president - global service provider sales, Avaya.  "Global organizations require global communications solutions, and this agreement will help ensure that the advanced equipment required to power customer networks is available where it is needed and with the adequate and necessary support."

Further expansion of the program is planned for 2009, with the addition of other vendors as well as expanded reach in more countries.

Verizon Business' new operational model for CPE and related services is an expansion of the company's approach to managed services delivery for Cisco-based solutions.  It now offers global enterprise customers end-to-end support for a broad range of CPE and support services in nearly three times the number of countries and territories when compared with last year's total.

Verizon Business manages 270,000-plus security, network and hosting devices across more than 4,000 customer networks spanning 142 countries and territories, overseeing non-Verizon connections from more than 60 network providers worldwide.  Verizon Business' managed network services are backed by industry-leading service-level commitments and the company's award-winning IMPACT management platform.

Verizon Business also offers a standardized set of more than 50 professional-service capabilities in 30 countries around the globe.  Delivered through 2,700 specially trained and experienced consultants in five key practice areas - security services, IT services, network integration and engineering, IP communications and contact center services - these services help customers successfully deploy and manage advanced networks and technologies.

* Note - Availability of CPE and support services varies by country.

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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