Verizon's Upcoming Hosted IP Service Will Bring Big Benefits to Call Centers, CTO Wegleitner Says

MIAMI - Large contact-center customers can benefit from hosted IP-based services to quickly and cost-efficiently deploy a variety of advanced applications without having to invest in premises-based hardware, said Verizon Chief Technology Officer Mark Wegleitner. And Verizon and Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories plan to meet that need, he said.

"Verizon will soon offer a hosted IP service with Genesys that will enable our customers to efficiently deploy sophisticated contact-center solutions within a flexible, cost-efficient hosted environment," he told the Genesys User Conference here. "Call-center customers would be able to take advantage of Verizon's network expertise and extensive network investments so that they can concentrate on their core business.

"Each customer will get a robust, customized plan to enable them to quickly staff up or down, create 'virtual call centers' and have the flexibility to outsource as many or as few of their network needs as their situation warrants. Verizon wants to be a single-source provider to make it as easy as possible for our customers," Wegleitner said.

During his speech, Wegleitner addressed some common myths about voice-over-IP services such as voice quality being poor on an IP network. Then he stressed the potential benefits for call-center customers that will use Verizon to set up the framework for their IP services:

• Operational cost reductions for equipment such as servers and switches and infrastructure could result in significant savings.

• Efficiency gains using one network for both voice services and data could reduce maintenance and staff costs.

• Ability to make agent resources "virtual," enabling call center employees to work from almost anywhere.

• Business continuity plans that provide enhanced disaster recovery.

Customers will be able to choose from a list of applications that include: automatic call distribution, an interactive voice-response unit, call control, and monitoring and customer-history databases, Wegleitner said.

Verizon and Genesys are working closely together to develop a hosted IP call center service that will be unique for Verizon's customers.

"By coupling Verizon's extensive investment in a secure, voice-ready data network with one of the industry's leading voice platforms, customers will be able to deploy a first-class service without a large capital investment," Wegleitner said.

Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group manages the design, operation and maintenance of end-to-end integrated network solutions for large business, government and education customers across the United States. With over 7,800 employees in 35 states, Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group offers a complete range of basic and advanced communications products and services to meet the voice, video, data and IP-related needs of its customers. In addition, over 5,200 field operations personnel support enterprise customers nationwide. In the enterprise market, Verizon Select Services Inc. provides Verizon long-distance service. For more information on products and services available through Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group, visit www.verizon.com/enterprisesolutions.

Verizon Communications Inc.

With more than $71 billion in annual revenues, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon has a diverse work force of 212,000 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 45.5 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 www.verizon.com.

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