Verizon Expands Support for Next-Generation Internet Protocol Across Dedicated Internet Services

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., March 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- To help business and government agencies continue to experience uninterrupted Internet service, Verizon has enabled its Internet Dedicated Services to carry traffic using the next-generation Internet protocol, IPv6.  As a result, Verizon Internet Dedicated Access customers can immediately rely on the world's most connected Internet backbone network to handle their IPv6 traffic, across the U.S., Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Verizon's global Internet services are among the first to be able to accept IPv6 data in several formats, including "native" or pure IPv6; "dual stack," which can handle IPv4 and IPv6 concurrently; and IPv6 traffic within IPv4 packets, which is known as "tunneling."  The company later this year will continue to roll out IPv6 capabilities across Canada and Latin America as well as on its global Private IP service, an MPLS-based (multiprotocol label switching) virtual private network.  

"This is another important milestone for the Verizon public IP backbone, our customers and the global Internet community," said Farooq Muzzafar, vice president of public and private IP communications solutions for Verizon.  "As an early proponent and adopter of IPv6, we want to help ensure the Internet continues to deliver on its promise to keep us all connected to each other and to the information that sustains and enriches our everyday life at work, at home and everywhere in between."

(Listen to an audio podcast, featuring Chris Kimm, vice president, Verizon network field operations in Europe, Middle East and Asia-Pacific, to learn more about the business opportunities associated with IPv6.)

The current Internet address system, Internet Protocol version 4, or IPv4, which has been in place since the 1980s, is about to run out of addresses.  According to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, IPv6 will open up a pool of billions of Internet addresses that is "virtually inexhaustible."  

As a result of the transition to the new IPv6 protocol, 2011 will be an important transitional year for Verizon and other top Internet players to ready the Internet on a global basis.  In addition, the new protocol will provide opportunities for organizations to employ advanced technology, including machine-to-machine (M2M) communications.

Since 1998, Verizon has been rolling out IPv6 capabilities, beginning with the very high speed backbone network service (vBNS), to meet increasing customer requirements.  

Verizon offers professional consulting services to help businesses and government agencies around the world take appropriate steps to prepare for a seamless transition to IPv6.  Verizon's IPv6 Transition Professional Services are designed to help organizations navigate through the complexity to assess, plan and implement IPv6 readiness across their global extended enterprise systems.  

In addition, ICSA Labs, an independent division of Verizon, was one of the first private testing laboratories to become accredited to provide testing services for the USGv6 Program. The program, developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, sets the standards that must be met by hardware and software products offered for sale to the federal government.

Verizon is a global leader in driving better business outcomes for mid-sized and large enterprises and government agencies.  Verizon combines integrated communications and IT solutions and professional services expertise with high-IQ global IP and mobility networks to enable businesses to securely access information, share content and communicate.  Verizon is rapidly transforming to a cloud-based 'everything-as-a-service' delivery model that will put the power of enterprise-grade solutions within the reach of every business.  Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 94.1 million customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 194,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon