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Verizon Business Unveils New Managed Communications and Collaboration Solution

October 16, 2008

By Jennifer Hull

Verizon Business has announced it will now offer a new managed unified communications and collaboration (UC&C) solution to its customers worldwide. The Cisco Unified Communications Manager 6.1 platform is aimed at helping companies enhance collaboration and productivity among mobile workforces and the extended enterprise -- suppliers, partners, customers, and employees.

Verizon Business Offers Cisco Unified Communications Manager 6.1 Platform

The new managed platform enables workers to seamlessly integrate communications tools such as voice mail, e-mail, and instant messaging. It also allows corporate information technology (IT) departments to out-task the complex operations often associated with the day-to-day management of UC&C solutions.

"Today's enterprise is faced with many new challenges, including how to enable employee productivity, do more with less, and be environmentally responsible," said Nancy Gofus, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Verizon Business. "Unified communications helps companies address these issues, enabling them to fully realize the power of their Internet protocol networks as they deliver advanced IP-enabled applications."

Verizon Business Expands its Managed Services Capabilities to Include UC&C

The new offering is available immediately to customers in the U.S. and many European countries, and a launch is planned in the Asia-Pacific region early next year. It will enable a consistent user experience through reliable productivity-enhancing applications including: Unified Messaging which integrates voice mail and e-mail and delivers greater efficiency for corporate end users by enabling one-source access to voice and data messages; Unified Mobility which offers employees a single phone number and business voice-mail box. Employees can receive calls wherever it is convenient, and make outgoing calls that appear with the user's assigned business phone numbers; and Unified Presence which delivers visibility into a user's availability to chat by phone or instant messaging.

Amy DeCarlo, principal analyst for internet/managed services at Current Analysis said, "Verizon Business is taking a leading role in expanding its managed services capabilities to include unified communications and collaboration. While the benefits of UC&C are becoming increasingly more attractive to enterprises, many organizations struggle with the complexities of deployment and day-to-day monitoring and management. Verizon Business' management of UC&C will help businesses tap into the power of UC&C to better their bottom lines through enhanced employee productivity, information sharing and accelerated decision making.