Company Cited for Iobi and Verizon One,
Convergence Products That Integrate Voice and Data Services
NEW YORK, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon has won Frost & Sullivan's 2005
Product Innovation Award for developing and launching two technologically
advanced products that make it easier for businesses and consumers to manage
all of their communications. The products are the Verizon iobi family of
services and the Verizon One integrated device.
Frost & Sullivan, a global consulting company, presents the award each
year to the company that has demonstrated excellence in new products and
technologies within its industry.
"Iobi and Verizon One truly are innovations in the industry," said Bob
Ingalls, president of Verizon's Retail Markets Group. "Verizon's unique iobi
Home communications integration service actually inspired the Verizon One
device, which serves as an all-purpose broadband information hub supporting
the whole family."
Verizon's iobi, a computer desktop tool, gives individuals and businesses
control over calls, voice mail, e-mail and other critical communications
services using PCs, the Web or a voice portal. Once the iobi software is
downloaded to a user's PC, the user can see on the screen who is calling and
decide whether to answer the call, forward it to voice mail or to someone else
who might be expecting the call -- in real time. Because it is network-based,
iobi allows this kind of call management from anywhere, letting users be
virtually in two places at once.
Iobi also allows users to manage their contact lists so a caller's
information can be imported to Lotus Notes, Outlook, and Palm desktop
applications. Additionally, users have instant access to Verizon SuperPages
and can send text messages or e-mail messages from the iobi desktop. Iobi, a
real-time communications management tool for consumers, was introduced on the
East Coast late last year. Earlier this year Verizon launched iobi Pro (for
small businesses) and iobi Enterprise editions.
Verizon One, a sleek piece of equipment, integrates several technologies
(DSL modem, 802.11g wireless router, 5.8 GHz cordless telephone and color
touch screen) and lets Verizon Online DSL subscribers seamlessly manage their
communications needs and devices.
Verizon One's extensive roster of features includes quick access to up-to-
the-minute weather, news, sports and entertainment highlights, one-touch
dialing, visual voice mail, on-screen memo pad, scheduled call-forwarding,
real-time call management, personal calendar and address book. It also allows
users to access Verizon's SuperPages where they can look up a business and
find directions to get there. Verizon One clears away the clutter of multiple
devices and is configured to support Verizon's iobi Home service. Its touch
screen assists in DSL installation and home network setup. This all-in-one
communications device from Verizon Online is now available to Verizon Online
DSL customers nationwide.
To select the winner of the Product Innovation Award, Frost & Sullivan's
analyst team compares and evaluates all new product launches, R&D spending,
products in development, and new product features and modifications, based on
the degree of innovation and customer satisfaction. Companies are then ranked
by number of new product launches and new products in development.
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 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.
VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches
and biographies, media contacts, high quality video and images, and other
information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at
http://www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the
News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news
releases.
SOURCE Verizon
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Related links:
http://www.verizon.com
http://www.verizon.com/news
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html
CONTACT:
Jim Smith - iobi, +1-212-395-7746,
james.albert.smith@verizon.com; or Sharon Beadle - Verizon One,
+1-212-395-6527, sharon.f.beadle@verizon.com
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