National Grid Charges Verizon Business With Transformation of Electricity and Gas Company's Global Communications Environment

LONDON, Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- When National Grid needed to transform its business operations as it moved to develop a new generation of energy-management solutions, it turned to Verizon Business to design, implement and manage a new, highly flexible, global communications environment.  

The Verizon team will be working alongside National Grid, an international electricity and gas company, to develop the company's new fully managed communications capability.  Services will encompass wide and local area networks, telecommunications services, voice services, selected security services, as well as video conferencing.  

National Grid expects this new global communications capability to help drive greater efficiency, adaptability and scalability in its IT ecosystem, and better position National Grid's IT infrastructure to support business improvement.

Powering Next-Generation Networks

National Grid delivers gas and electricity to customers across Great Britain and the Northeastern United States. The company is a leading proponent of innovative energy management to help deliver clean, efficient and sustainable energy solutions to its customers.  

As the company expanded, its global IT environment had become increasingly fragmented. The company therefore decided to reassess its technology investments to better align with its overall business strategy. It set out to identify a technology partner that could take on the role of transforming its business communications infrastructure, working alongside the company's in-house team.

Verizon Business was chosen, thanks to its global reach, proven experience, innovative solutions portfolio and strong cultural fit.

"Verizon has long been a proponent of the use of smart technology to change business models and societies," said Blair Crump, Verizon Business president, worldwide sales. "We are focused on technology innovation to power next-generation networks and so had a great, synergistic business fit with National Grid, and a clear understanding of the drivers behind the company's business strategy."

The selection of Verizon as technology partner is part of companywide transformation of National Grid's information services, said David Lister, National Grid's global chief information officer. National Grid expects to spend more than $27 million in the next two years to modernize its networks and telecommunications infrastructure as part of its work with Verizon.

"At National Grid we are challenging ourselves to create an environment that anticipates and exceeds the expectations of our customers, and our communications network is the information backbone of meeting that challenge." Lister said. "Our alliance with Verizon is a meaningful step toward meeting the demands of a 21st century business with customers who deserve quality service at better value."

Verizon's Global Energy & Utilities Practice combines professional expertise with advanced wireless and wireline networks to deliver advanced communications, IT and security solutions worldwide. The organization comprises a team of individuals with the proven experience to help organizations address industry-specific challenges, including smart grid transformation, data management, security and compliance with North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection and other global standards. Learn more at: www.verizonbusiness.com/us/solutions/utility.

About National Grid

National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE: NGG) is an international electricity and gas company and one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world. National Grid owns the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales and operates the system across Great Britain. It also owns and operates the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain and its distribution business delivers gas to 11 million homes and businesses.  National Grid also has a number of related businesses such as LNG importation and storage, land remediation and metering.

In the US, National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). National Grid also owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers. It is also the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

About Verizon Business

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with one of the world's most connected IP networks to deliver award-winning communications, IT, information security and network solutions.  We securely connect today's extended enterprises of widespread and mobile customers, partners, suppliers and employees – enabling them to increase productivity and efficiency and help preserve the environment.  Many of the world's largest businesses and governments – including 96 percent of the Fortune 1000 and thousands of government agencies and educational institutions – rely on our professional and managed services and network technologies to accelerate their business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.

SOURCE Verizon Business