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Verizon Recognized By Frost & Sullivan for Innovation in Products Integrating Voice and Data Services

Posted on: Thursday, 13 October 2005, 09:00 CDT

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- In its recent analysis, Trends in Wireline Substitution: North American Market, Frost & Sullivan named Verizon Communications as the recipient of the 2005 Product Innovation Award for the company's convergence products.

"Verizon has been leading the way for convergence solutions as a means to address the wireline substitution challenge," says Frost & Sullivan research analyst Piyush Arora. "The company's iobi and Verizon One are aimed at integrating voice and data services."

The combination of iobi and Verizon One represents a strong convergent solution for residential customers, and the company can use them to build on the success of its 'Freedom' bundles of flat rate fixed, mobile and DSL services. Such convergent solutions will not only integrate the various communication mediums but also defend against landline substitution and will reap in extra revenues for the company.

Verizon's iobi, a network-based convergent solution, integrates communications services from landline and mobile phones to PCs, laptops, and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Once the iobi software is installed, when the phone rings, iobi immediately identifies the caller and allows the user to answer from any nearby phone, forward the call to voicemail or to another number with one mouse click. The user can also block the call -- all in real time -- right from the PC. Full wireless integration, beyond TXT notification of calls and messages, is forecast for inclusion soon.

In addition, the subscriber can automatically import the caller's information into the user's Lotus Notes(R), Outlook(R), and Palm (TM) directory, listen to voicemails directly from the PC, forward voice mails as sound files, map a caller's location, and send an instant message with the aid of iobi. Users with more than one phone line can have all of their calls appear on a single control panel, complete with call logs and active traffic through iobi. Iobi can be also accessed through the Web, a voice portal, and by loading desktop software into the PC.

Verizon One is an innovative device that integrates several technologies -- digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, 802.11g wireless router, 5.8 GHz cordless telephone and color touch screen -- on a single desktop appliance and lets users seamlessly manage their communications needs and devices. Verizon One has a touch screen computer with a built in DSL modem, which enables broadband access, and a wireless local area network (WLAN) router, which can connect all the PCs in a house wirelessly.

Although not a full-powered computer terminal, Verizon One does provide access to phone-based communications. It also allows downloading of certain types of content from the Web including news and sports headlines, local movie listings, weather, and other information; however, it is not a tool for surfing.

"Verizon One simplifies DSL installation, and home network setup clears away the clutter of multiple devices and is configured for Verizon's iobi service that brings together telephone and online communications into one user interface," explains Arora. "When reinforced with iobi, Verizon One offers a rich feature set including one-touch dialing, visual voice mail, on-screen memo pad, e-mail lists, scheduled call-forwarding, real-time call management, personal calendar, and address book and easily accessible updates on weather, news, sports, and entertainment."

Frost & Sullivan presents this award to a company that has exhibited excellence in new products and technologies within its industry. The recipient company should have shown innovation by launching a broad line of emerging products and technologies.

About Verizon Communications

With more than $71 billion in annual revenues, Verizon Communications Inc. is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon has a diverse work force of more than 214,000 in four business units: Domestic Telecom provides customers based in 28 states with wireline and other telecommunications services, including broadband. Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 47.4 million voice and data customers across the United States. Information Services operates directory publishing businesses and provides electronic commerce services. International includes wireline and wireless operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com/ .

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit http://www.frost.com/ .

Contact: Stacie Jones - Frost & Sullivan 210.247.2450 Stacie.jones@frost.com Jim Smith - Verizon 212.395.7746 james.albert.smith@verizon.com

Frost & Sullivan

CONTACT: Stacie Jones of Frost & Sullivan, +1-210-247-2450, orStacie.jones@frost.com ; or Jim Smith of Verizon Communications Inc.,+1-212-395-7746, or james.albert.smith@verizon.com

Web site: http://www.frost.com/http://www.verizon.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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