Verizon has expanded its VoIP service within the Asia-Pacific region, enabling multinational companies in key commercial hubs across the region to take advantage of a wide range of the latest unified communications and collaboration applications to help increase productivity and efficiency.

By leveraging Verizon's expansive global IP network and feature-rich architecture, the VoIP solution offers customers in Australia, Hong Kong, India and Singapore access to applications including social networking, video chats, mobile-device support, instant messaging and presence.

Verizon is also adding intercompany high-definition voice and video capabilities for select VoIP customers that use the service's popular VIPER feature. This is a cloud-based IP-to-IP routing option that eliminates additional per minute domestic and international charges on calls between VIPER-enabled locations customers.

Service providers FiOS and AT&T U-verse were top recommendations for bundled telecom services, based on a survey of 70,000 Consumer Reports readers.

The next best choice for many households for bundled services is a highly rated cable company including Cox, Cablevision, or Bright House Networks if they are in your area. If television service is a priority and Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse aren't available in your area, satellite providers DirecTV or Dish Network received above average survey scores. Their TV service is offered in hybrid bundles with DSL and phone service from some telephone providers

The issue also features tips on how to cut your telecom bills. The full story appears in the May issue of Consumer Reports, which goes on sale April 5th. The reports are also available to subscribers of www.ConsumerReports.org.

Wireless and Skype announce that mobile with video will soon be available on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network. This new version of Skype mobile from Verizon Wireless will be deeply integrated into a wide range of 4G smartphones to be available by mid-2011. With front- and rear-facing cameras, these Android-based 4G LTE smartphones will make it simple for customers to make Skype-to-Skype video calls over Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network.

Customers will be able to see and hear their friends and family when making or receiving Skype-to-Skype video calls on Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network, the fastest and most advanced 4G network in the nation. The new offer expands Skype’s video calling capabilities for millions and provides a great video experience using the speed, low-latency and quality of Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE wireless network.

Business is introducing its voice-over-Internet Protocol portfolio in Switzerland, making it the eleventh country in Europe to benefit from the company's business-class VoIP services.

In addition, Verizon Business will introduce throughout Europe a new VoIP product service-level agreement, which is already available in the U.S. Also, the company has certified Cisco VoIP and unified communications and collaboration gear to work with Verizon IP Trunking in the U.S. and Europe.

Like many multinational companies, Siemens Enterprise Communications needed to streamline its communications network management while setting the stage for advanced services. The company turned to Verizon Business for an integrated communications and networking solution that will enable it to operate more efficiently and cost-effectively as it transitions to a unified communications environment.

Verizon's solution for upgrading Siemens Enterprise Communications' European communications infrastructure integrates voice over IP with centralized, multicountry and multisite IP Trunking to link the company's Munich headquarters with operations across 10 European countries. Additionally, Verizon IP Trunking's Burstable Enterprise Shared Trunks feature enables Siemens to essentially scale VoIP network capacity on demand to support its business needs.

As companies continue to push for more efficient and effective interaction among employees, customers and partners, Verizon Business is now offering new IP capabilities that make the adoption of unified communications and collaboration simpler and more cost-effective than ever before.

The new capabilities, unveiled Wednesday (June 23) feature:

• IP Audio Conferencing for conducting instant meetings that will speed collaboration while eliminating additional per minute charges for calls originating from a Verizon IP-enabled location leveraging the company's expansive global IP network.
• VoIP IP Enterprise Routing (VIPER) – a new cloud-based VoIP feature that enables more cost-effective business-to-business voice calls by eliminating domestic or international per minute calling charges when calls are made between Verizon VoIP customers in either the U.S. and Europe that sign up for the VIPER feature. As an added benefit, a customer using Verizon IP Audio Conferencing will not incur additional per minute charges from any VIPER-enabled location dialing into the host conference bridge.
• Centralized multi-site designs for Verizon Hosted IP Centrex customers in Europe to aggregate calls through a central "hub" location connected to Verizon's expansive global IP network, including calls from sites in other countries, or using third-party wide area network access, or both. Multi-site customers also benefit from a new pricing structure between countries where Verizon offers VoIP.

Verizon FiOS customers now have an enhanced digital phone service - FiOS Digital Voice - to go with the ultimate broadband and home-entertainment experience.

Designed specifically for Verizon's advanced all-fiber-optic network, with a brilliantly clear sound quality, FiOS Digital Voice has 21 industry-leading features including live voice-mail screening, an advanced online call manager and Caller ID on TV. Many of these features are not available with the traditional Freedom Essentials voice service.

Verizon Global Wholesale's VoIP minutes of use grew more than 200 percent in 2009, compared with the previous year. This trend continues a growth trajectory that began with the launch of Verizon's wholesale VoIP portfolio in 2000.

"Since we launched our VoIP portfolio 10 years ago, we've seen steady growth reflecting customer desire for reliable, cost-effective IP voice services," said Mike Millegan, president of Verizon Global Wholesale. "And, as this market grows, we continue to add new VoIP services while enhancing our existing portfolio."

Verizon Business introduces Global Fixed Mobile Convergence, a new service that can significantly reduce mobile phone roaming charges for European workers who make and receive calls outside of their home service area.

The new service also offers a universal phone number with "find me/follow me" capabilities to reach employees on a wireline or mobile phone for immediate attention, reducing the number of voicemails and spurring productivity.

Verizon Global Wholesale is now offering additional functionality for three of its product platforms, providing voice-over-Internet-protocol customers with a secure connection for transmitting information over the Internet and other public networks.

This new functionality enables the product platforms -- SIP Gateway Service, Advanced Toll Free IP Termination and Carrier IP Termination Transport -- to share a single, secure virtual private network connection called an IP Security tunnel. Currently, Verizon is the only major provider offering this connection, which provides additional security during call setup. Because IPSec is an industry standard and supported by most major equipment vendors, there is no need to create vendor-specific security protocols.

Verizon is offering three new VoIP and Internet packages available through the Verizon Global Wholesale division. The offers are designed to respond to the rapid growth of VoI in the small and medium business realm and the resulting demand for powerful high-speed Internet connections. In addition, the offers support Verizon Global Wholesale customers' marketing efforts to small and medium sized businesses.

Verizon Business has been named Global Service Provider of the Year, North America, by Polycom. The award, given in conjunction with the 2010 TEAM Polycom, the company's annual partner conference, recognizes Verizon Business for its outstanding sales performance and excellence in meeting customer solution, service and support needs.

Skype and Verizon Wireless announce a strategic relationship that will bring Skype to Verizon Wireless smartphones in March. The new Skype mobile product enhances Verizon Wireless' smartphones for users who have data plans by offering a new way to call around the globe, while also giving hundreds of millions of Skype users around the world the opportunity to communicate with friends, family and business colleagues in the United States using Verizon Wireless.

More businesses can now maximize the potential of their IP-enabled communications, thanks to Verizon Business. The company's award-winning Burstable Enterprise Shared Trunks feature is now available in Europe, enabling customers to enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of their IP networks by allowing capacity to be allocated on demand to support business needs across customers' VoIP locations.

J.D. Power and Associates, recently gave Verizon Business a leading ranking for customer satisfaction among large-enterprise data service customers, has now ranked Verizon Business highest in overall customer satisfaction among large-enterprise voice services providers.

Respondents to J.D. Power and Associates' 2009 Major Provider Business Telecommunications Study -- Voice Services determined that Verizon Business sets the benchmark for five of the six factors used to measure customer satisfaction: performance and reliability, sales representatives/account executives, billing, cost of service, and offerings and promotions. Verizon Business' overall score of 684 on a scale of 1,000 was 22 points higher than the large-enterprise segment average score, and the company ranked particularly high in both the offerings and promotions and billing factors.