• Новости
• Блоги
• Аналитика
• Новости компаний
• В СНГ и в мире
• Анонсы

Verizon Business sets out mobile services vision

Verizon Business has made it clear that boosting its mobile connectivity offerings to multinational corporations is at the top of its agenda for the coming year, although the company is unable to give away too many details at present.

The wireline enterprise-focused business unit of U.S. operator Verizon Communications already has some mobile services in its portfolio: In the US the company benefits from the EV-DO network run by Verizon Wireless, while in the U.K. it has formed an agreement with T-Mobile for access to the mobile operator's GPRS network. In addition, Verizon Business users can make use of some 48,000 WiFi hotspots globally.

But "globally, we need to do more," said Nancy Gofus, CMO and SVP of marketing at Verizon Business. "I announce a commitment to do more."

Gofus, who was speaking during a media event this week, said Verizon Business intends to offer a full fixed-mobile convergence portfolio for its customers together with managed services, and will extend its reach through partnerships with mobile operators in other European countries "as quickly as possible".

"We're not going to build wireless networks around the world," she said. She noted that since Verizon Business already manages wireless LAN services it also sees dual-mode handsets "as a logical extension for us", although no timeline was provided for when such offerings might become available.

"I have a problem with the term FMC," she added. "I think of it in terms of equipping the mobile worker" so they have full laptop and mobile phone connectivity.

The key target areas for Verizon Business will be to provide coverage where customers need it, manage customer spending, and also manage their devices.

"Those are areas we will move into," said Gofus. She added that the company already offers a PBX mobile extension service in the U.S., and intends to "globalise that offer".

As well as boosting its mobile and wireless connectivity offerings, Verizon Business, which intends to retain its focus on MNCs in future, also plans to expand its professional services capabilities as it widens its managed services portfolio and meets its target of moving beyond traditional "pipe" services, said Blair Crump, senior VP, premier and international sales.

The company this year acquired Cybertrust in order to increase its security services capabilities, but Gofus noted that further acquisitions are unlikely until Cybertrust has been fully absorbed by the company.

"I have to make Cybertrust work first," she said.

According to Crump, Verizon Business accounted for 23% of Verizon's group revenue in the first half of 2007, while the consumer retail services division accounted for 16%. Crump noted that business contributed more to group revenue than retail for the first time.

Verizon as a whole reported that revenue rose by 6.3% to $23.27 billion in Q2 2007 from $21.89 billion a year ago. Verizon Business raised Q2 revenue by 2.4% to $5.3 billion.

But in order to meet its goals of boosting its service offerings further, Verizon also has very ambitious plans for its global IP MPLS network.

According to Fred Briggs, EVP, operations and technology at Verizon Business, one of the company's key goals is to reduce network latency as services such as mobile data, video, and financial trading increase and become more global. In order to meet this goal Verizon will eventually convert its entire network to ultra long-haul technology, said Briggs.

He said 65% of the U.S. network will be converted to ULH by the end of this year, with 20% set as the target for Europe. He expects the whole network upgrade to be completed in the next 18-24 months. Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia Siemens Networks and Ciena are providing the equipment in the U.S., and Briggs said the vendor for the European market will be announced soon.

Briggs also said the traditional SONET ring structure will be replaced with optical mesh networks, with four routes to be deployed across the Pacific next year.

He added that Verizon is also gearing up to 100-gigabit-per-second speeds on its network, following its current upgrade to 40 Gbps.

Источник: Total Telecom

Оставить свой комментарий:

Комментарии по материалу