Verizon Business Opens Government Network Operations and Security Center

ASHBURN, Va. -- Verizon Business today opened its new Government Network Operations and Security Center (GNOSC), a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to supporting the unique security and operational requirements of its federal government customers.

The center, located in Northern Virginia in 30,000 square feet of space built to government security standards, will support the managed network services Verizon Business provides to nearly every federal government agency from the civilian, intelligence and defense communities.

The center conducts real-time network monitoring of federal government customers' global network traffic and provides government agencies with a single point of contact to obtain products and services to meet network operations requirements and related security matters. Verizon Business historically has provided leading managed-network services for federal government customers, and the new center enables the company to put both network operations and security operations under one roof. The company will continue to provide managed services at the network operations centers currently in operation.

"Establishing the GNOSC is a cornerstone of our strategy for meeting the federal government’s demands for next-generation networking services," said Jerry Edgerton, group president for Verizon Federal, the sales organization within Verizon Business dedicated to serving federal government customers.  "With this center, we are putting the customer's physical and systems security first."

The  center, along with Verizon Business' vBNS+ (Very High Speed Broadband Network Service), will also play an important role in helping the federal government adopt the next generation of Internet protocol -- known as version six, or IPv6  -- and meet the Office of Management and Budget's mandated transition target of June 2008.  Verizon Business is a pioneer in developing and delivering IPv6 capabilities to market, helping to expand the availability of IP address space and to accommodate the growing number of IP-enabled network devices in the marketplace.

"Verizon Business is ready to support the federal government's transition to IP-based services by delivering the most advanced, integrated network and security capabilities available today," Edgerton added.

Verizon Business is a leading communications provider to the federal government and currently provides services to the U.S. General Services Administration under the Federal Telecommunications Service (FTS) 2001 contract. As one of the two U.S. telecommunications services providers initially awarded the FTS2001 contracts by the GSA, the company currently serves virtually every federal agency under the existing contract.

Early next year, the GSA is expected to award the replacement contract to FTS2001 agreement – dubbed Networx.

"This is where network management and protection come together to meet the future requirements of government customers," Edgerton said. "Verizon Business is investing to meet federal customers' special requirements of service complexity and sophistication -- not only for today but also for tomorrow."

The multimillion-dollar center, constructed under an accelerated build-out schedule, is the first major network facility the company has opened since Verizon and MCI combined in January 2006. In addition to the network monitoring and security center, the area also includes an emergency command center, briefing center, program-management office and support office space.

The facility -- which operates 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week -- has been designed for aggressive growth. As with all Verizon Business network operation and management centers, diverse cable network routes and complete network redundancy are built into the operation of the center to help ensure uninterrupted communications for the federal government.

About Verizon Business
Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE:  VZ), is a leading provider of advanced communications and information technology (IT) solutions to large business and government customers worldwide.  Combining unsurpassed global network reach with advanced technology and professional service capabilities, Verizon Business delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world.   For more information, visit www.verizonbusiness.com. 

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