Verizon and Cisco to Extend Software-defined Networking to Support Future 5G Mobile Devices for Enterprise

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As businesses aim to stay ahead of an increasingly digital economy, Verizon is expanding its offerings to help enterprises accelerate their digital transformation to support future 5G capabilities. Verizon's Virtual Network Services will support 5G devices on Cisco's software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) platform, making it easier to manage network traffic and application performance across a wide area network on both public and private networks.

Verizon's Virtual Network Services will now support Cisco's SD-WAN portfolio using Cisco's intent-based networking capabilities, allowing enterprises to leverage the performance of 5G when using services such as network slicing and mobile edge computing.  

"These solutions highlight what a transformative platform 5G will be for enterprises," said Shawn Hakl, senior vice president, Business Products, Verizon. "Cisco has been a close technology partner in driving SD-WAN based transformation in campus and branch environments, and we look forward to bridging those same best practices to mobile devices."

"We're excited to partner with Verizon to take the next step in SD-WAN. 5G is a transformational technology, and when combined with Cisco SD-WAN, users' application experience can be better than ever before," said Scott Harrell, senior vice president and general manager, Enterprise Networking Business, Cisco. "Verizon's new Mobile SD-WAN will help enterprise customers quickly and easily transition to 5G, giving them an edge as we embrace the next generation of mobile connectivity."

SD-WAN technology has become a popular approach to connecting enterprise wide area networks, including branch offices and data centers, over public and private connectivity services. The new offer from Verizon and Cisco sets the stage for enterprises to use Verizon's future 5G network as an extension of their campus and branch infrastructure and enable more control of the application performance on mobile and IoT devices. Potential use cases include the ability to enable an intelligent security perimeter for mobile workers, ensuring that access to corporate assets are governed by their security posture, with a different slice or policy on per application basis from the users' devices. IoT devices that sit outside the campus or branch could be managed and secured with the same network and security tools used inside the campus, giving enterprises a unified approach to applying networking and security policy across any environment.

About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York City, generated revenues of $130.9 billion in 2018. The company operates America's most reliable wireless network and the nation's premier all-fiber network, and delivers integrated solutions to businesses worldwide. With brands like Yahoo, TechCrunch and HuffPost, the company's media group helps consumers stay informed and entertained, communicate and transact, while creating new ways for advertisers and partners to connect. Verizon's corporate responsibility prioritizes the environmental, social and governance issues most relevant to its business and impact to society.

About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in IT that helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the previously unconnected. For ongoing news, please go to http://thenetwork.cisco.com.

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

VERIZON'S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at www.verizon.com/about/news/. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.

SOURCE Cisco Systems, Inc.