Leading Analyst Firm Positions Verizon Business in Leaders Quadrant of Magic Quadrant for Pan-European Network Service Providers

READING, U.K. - Leading industry analyst firm Gartner Inc. has placed Verizon Business in the Leaders quadrant among pan-European network services providers in Gartner's updated report, "Magic Quadrant for Pan-European Network Service Providers."ⁱ

The report evaluates providers of "voice, data, managed network and added-value services to enterprise customers across multiple geographies in Europe. These services may be delivered as unmanaged connectivity, managed services or outsourced networks. To qualify for inclusion, suppliers must be able to take prime contracting responsibility for the provisioning and ongoing operational support of network-only projects in Europe."

According to Gartner, providers positioned in the Leaders quadrant "have a full portfolio of voice and data services, including relatively new offerings in areas such as unified communications and Ethernet services. These services will be delivered with good quality across a wide area of coverage at competitive prices by account teams that are typically closer to the customer. Leaders have a strong vision of the market and their role in it, and they will typically be able to address a wider range of customers (in terms of size, geography and service requirements) with their service offerings than others in this Magic Quadrant."

Stuart Curzon, Verizon Business regional vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: "Verizon Business is seeing strong organic growth in these regions, thanks to our continued investment in high-capacity network infrastructure, innovative solutions, customer service and, of course, our people to support our customers' evolving business requirements. We are continuing to broaden the range of managed services we offer our customers, enhancing our services in areas such as infrastructure utility, security, managed mobility and application assurance. Our comprehensive solutions portfolio is supported by professional global account teams and robust online and offline customer service provisions to offer our customers across Europe, and around the globe, a compelling value proposition."

This Leaders quadrant placement coincides with Verizon Business' placement in the Leaders quadrant position in the "Magic Quadrant for Global Network Service Providers."ⁱⁱ

About the Magic Quadrant
The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted 2010 by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the "Leaders" quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties or merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

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

ⁱ Gartner Research "Magic Quadrant for Pan-European Network Service Providers," March 8, 2010, authors Neil Rickard, Katja Ruud and Michelle van Pelt.
ⁱⁱ Gartner Research "Magic Quadrant for Global Network Service Providers," March 8, 2010, authors Neil Rickard, Robert F. Mason