Reading, England, November 6 (ots/PRNewswire)

- New Enhancements Include the Availability of Managed IP PBX
Service, Extended European Reach, Local Language Interfaces and
Ringtones, and Additional Access Methods

Verizon Business has announced the availability of its full VoIP
portfolio for the International market, offering a full suite of VoIP
solutions on a single integrated network-based VoIP platform. New
enhancements to the portfolio include a Managed IP PBX service,
extended European availability, local language interfaces, local
ringtones and additional access methods. The full portfolio offers
customers a simple and efficient way to transition their voice and
data services to IP technology at their own pace, irrespective of
their stage of IP implementation.

A fully Managed IP PBX service has been added to the Verizon VoIP
portfolio, complementing IP Integrated Access, Hosted IP Centrex and
IP Trunking services. This enables customers to outsource the
implementation and management of their premises-based IP telephony
systems to Verizon Business. IP Integrated Access enables customers
to implement VoIP solutions whilst keeping the traditional PABX in
place, whereas IP Trunking connects an IP PBX to the Verizon Business
enterprise data network and public voice network using a single IP
connection. Hosted IP Centrex is a robust, flexibly scalable and
feature-rich VoIP service delivered from a fully hosted and managed
platform. The full suite enables customers to benefit from VoIP
technology no matter what their stage of IP transition.

Portfolio availability has now been extended to six European
countries (adding Belgium and Luxembourg to the U.K., France, Germany
and the Netherlands), with customers now also supported by
local-language customer Web interfaces and local ringtones.

In addition, a greater variety of access methods, including BRI
PABX connectivity for IP Integrated Access, as well as Ethernet and
DSL access for all VoIP network services, has broadened the
connectivity choices available to large enterprise customers with
sites of varying sizes.

John Irvine, vice president of international marketing for Verizon
Business, explains: "Our VoIP portfolio is recognised as an
industry-leading platform for IP transition, and we're delighted that
we can now offer our full portfolio to the international market. Our
customers are increasingly moving toward an integrated IP
environment, and our VoIP portfolio offers a perfect platform on
which they can build their future communications solutions at their
own pace.

"For Verizon Business, VoIP is an enabler in the move toward a
single, network-hosted IP environment, where IP-based tools such as
VoIP, conferencing and Instant Messaging will all work in harmony to
enhance business collaboration and performance."

Peter Hall, research director at Ovum, the analyst and consulting
company, states: "Enterprise VoIP is now seeing mainstream adoption
as businesses of all types increasingly recognise the benefits of
VoIP. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for enterprise VoIP, and
we are now seeing a broad range of solutions from leading suppliers
to address the needs and pace of adoption of most businesses."

About Verizon Managed IP PBX

Verizon Business' Managed IP PBX service enables customers to
transfer management of their IP telephony systems to Verizon
Business. The service offers continuous IP PBX management and
optimization, as well as aid in the planning, designing and
implementation phases of the service. This delivers a true end-to-end
VoIP solution with high levels of performance and reliability,
offering integration to the Verizon VoIP platform through Verizon
Business' IP Trunking product.

           Enhanced Geographic Availability and Local Language Support

Verizon Business' global IP footprint, extensive voice network
coverage and in-country existing voice services enable Verizon
Business to offer one of the most extensive VoIP portfolios
available. European availability in France, Germany, the Netherlands
and the U.K. is now also being extended into Belgium and Luxembourg.
Verizon VoIP is also available in the United States, South Africa and
Canada. Local language (French, Dutch, German and British English in
addition to U.S. English) customer Web interfaces and local ringtones
are now available in these countries, providing a fully localized IP
telephony end user experience.

Site-to-site VoIP capabilities are also available in an additional
11 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland,
Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland). Verizon
Business plans to extend availability of its VoIP portfolio to
Asia-Pacific in early 2007.

Additional Access Methods

Verizon Business' global fibre leased line network is one of the
largest in the world. With Ethernet and BRI PABX connectivity to its
IP network, in addition to the existing Primary Rate Interface
connectivity interface option, customers can align access to the
benefits of VoIP solutions according to their individual site
requirements and infrastructure. Digital subscriber line (DSL) for
smaller sites will be available by the end of 2006. Customer sites of
any size and set-up will therefore be able to connect and communicate
across the Verizon Business VoIP platform.

Verizon Business' Irvine adds: "This announcement is evidence of
our strong on-going dedication to the expansion of our advanced IP
communications network. Verizon Business is committed to supplying
advanced, high quality VoIP services to companies across the world
supported by industry-leading SLAs, and we look forward to bringing
the benefits of IP communications to an even broader audience as we
move into 2007."

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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Web site: http://www.verizonbusiness.com

Contact:

Media: Jo Perrin, Verizon Business, +44-118-958-2251,
jo.perrin@verizonbusiness.com; or Louise Hooton, Hill & Knowlton Ltd,
+44-20-7413-3794, louise.hooton@hillandknowlton.com