Verizon Information Technologies to Deliver Hosting Solutions Through IBM's Hosting Advantage Program

TAMPA, Fla. - Verizon Information Technologies Inc., a unit of Verizon Communications, will work with IBM to deliver managed hosting applications to medium- and large-sized businesses as an approved participant of IBM's Hosting Advantage offering. Under terms of an agreement, the Verizon IT unit has become a Premier Business Partner in the IBM Service Providers for e-business initiative.

Verizon Information Technologies will provide IT outsourcing services and enterprise software support using Verizon's ISO 9002-certified national hosting infrastructure as well as the entire line of IBM eServer systems. Verizon will deliver its offerings to customers using any IBM platform - including customers migrating to IBM eServer iSeries - via its data centers located in Tampa, Fla., Sacramento, Calif., and Fort Wayne, Ind. Through IBM's Hosting Advantage verification process, Verizon Information Technologies underwent a comprehensive review of its hosting environment, including capacity planning, security, backup and recovery, systems management performance, and customer-support practices.

The initiative includes sales, marketing and business development activities that leverage each company's resources and relationships. Verizon and IBM are jointly developing targeted marketing efforts aimed at industries such as services, healthcare and telecommunications.

"Verizon and IBM are two companies with a long history of innovation and business value creation," said Mike Luebke, president of Verizon Information Technologies. "Our newly extended relationship is a great example of how the right combination of infrastructure, software, hardware and expertise can create even greater value in the marketplace."

"Businesses migrating to IBM eServer iSeries are creating a wave of opportunities for trusted, reliable and committed business partners who can deliver the quality and added value our mutual customers need," said Kim Stevenson, vice president, IBM eServer iSeries marketing operations. "Our relationship with Verizon Information Technologies and their support of eServer iSeries will provide customers with hosting needs a wider variety of options from which to choose."

IBM Hosting Advantage

The IBM Hosting Advantage offering is a component of IBM's Service Providers for e-business initiative, and was created to recognize and promote approved hosting service providers. Verizon Information Technologies will benefit from the IBM Hosting Advantage approval through increased market visibility, opportunities to team with IBM's top application providers via IBM xSP Prime Centers and opportunities to participate in IBM marketing efforts. IBM also provides Verizon and other IBM Hosting Advantage approved Business Partners with a roadmap for continually evaluating and improving the quality of their hosting environments.

Verizon Information Technologies

Verizon Information Technologies is a wholly owned subsidiary of Verizon Data Services, itself a subsidiary of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), a Fortune 10 communications and technology company with approximately $65 billion in annual revenue. Verizon Data Services is a global company with more than 30 years experience in managing information technology, across a variety of platforms and within a range of industries. By leveraging the skills of more than 14,000 IT professionals, Verizon Data Services provides IT outsourcing services, transaction processing, mobile computing management, network management, telecommunications software systems, and healthcare payor transaction processing and software. Its eight data centers handle millions of transactions daily with industry leading availability, reliability and security. For additional information, visit http://www.VerizonIT.com.