Verizon Business, a premier provider of advanced global communications and information technology (IT) solutions, announced it is extending its next-generation suite of Internet telephony services to provide new Internet protocol capabilities for business and government customers.

The introduction of the new offerings -- IP Flexible T-1, new customer equipment choices, Dedicated Toll-Free over IP and advanced fraud protection for Managed IP Telephony -- reinforces the position of Verizon Business' IP telephony portfolio as one of the most comprehensive available today.

"We're making IP work harder and smarter for our customers, and we're lowering the barrier to entry for new adopters" said Nancy Gofus, vice president of product management for Verizon Business. "By adding even more choice and flexibility to our IP Telephony portfolio, Verizon Business is helping businesses more effectively achieve the promise of IP, including both new capabilities and cost-savings made possible by IP networking."

IP Flexible T-1

Verizon Business is introducing IP Flexible T-1 to make IP networking more simple and cost-effective for remote corporate office locations taking a first step toward using VoIP. The new IP Flexible T-1 complements Verizon Business' IP Integrated Access solution by enabling company sites with fewer than 24 phone lines to maintain their existing analog key systems and calling features while upgrading to a converged environment that can carry voice and data over a single connection. By moving traffic from a traditional voice network to IP, companies can achieve both cost-savings and improved opportunities, including increased data transmission, utilizing voice compression and enhanced network performance.

CPE Customer Choice

The addition of a complete suite of new Polycom SoundPoint IP and SoundStation IP phones for Hosted IP Centrex customers enables Verizon Business to continue to deliver one of the widest range of choices for IP telephony available to customers today, featuring both network and premises- based solutions. The Polycom phones are competitively priced for lease or for purchase and afford additional cost benefits for IP networks. Verizon Business plans to continue to introduce new CPE customer choices during 2006.

Dedicated Toll-Free Integration with VoIP Portfolio

Verizon Business has integrated Dedicated Toll-Free Service with its VoIP portfolio, enabling customers with both Dedicated Toll-Free and VoIP at the same location to use a single connection for both their incoming toll-free calls and their outbound VoIP traffic.

Verizon Business will translate the toll-free traffic to VoIP, routing the voice call over an IP network to terminate over a customer's IP connection. As a result, companies now can consolidate more traffic more cost-effectively over shared, integrated IP trunks, rather than reserving large dedicated public-switched-network circuits for incoming toll-free calls. Companies can use the same advanced features commonly associated with Enhanced Call Routing (ECR) with IP Integrated Access, Hosted IP Centrex or IP Trunking.

Advanced Fraud Protection

Verizon Business is expanding its patented Sheriff anti-fraud expert system to help protect Verizon Business Managed IP Telephony customers from illegitimate use of their IP PBX phone systems. Available only from Verizon Business, Sheriff's round-the-clock proactive monitoring enables early detection and customer notification of suspect or fraudulent calling. Verizon Business now safeguards all Managed IP PBX customers with Sheriff and its experienced Fraud Control Team, while also offering a custom version that lets customers specifically tailor Sheriff to recognize and report irregular activities targeted at a customer's particular business.

Businesses can take advantage of a wide array of Verizon Business VoIP solutions, featuring Hosted IP Centrex, IP Integrated Access, IP Trunking and Managed IP PBX services. By combining Verizon Business VoIP solutions with the company's flagship IP networking service, Private IP, businesses can enhance their IP communications opportunities. Private IP's advanced MPLS platform helps businesses gain better control over their networks and enhances efficiency by employing the inherent security and traffic management capabilities of MPLS along with Quality of Service (QoS) to deliver an ideal environment for carrying voice traffic.

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications, 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 http://www.verizonbusiness.com.