Verizon Business Named as Cisco 2009 U.S. and Canada Service Provider Partner of the Year

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Business' close collaboration with Cisco and its continued success as a Cisco channel partner have earned it two key theater awards for services sold in  the U.S. and Canada – the Cisco 2009 Service Provider Partner of the Year and the Cisco 2009 Managed Service Provider Partner of the Year.

Verizon Business has also received four Cisco regional service provider awards in the U.S. and Canada: Data Center Partner of the Year, Unified Communications & Collaboration Partner of the Year, Managed Service Partner of the Year and Technology Excellence Partner of the Year.  Additionally, the company was recognized for its efforts supporting U.S. public sector customers, receiving the Public Sector Service Provider of the Year and Public Sector Top Service Provider Partner for Services regional awards.

"Last year marked another year of strong sustained momentum for Verizon's close collaboration with Cisco," said Kerry Bailey, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Verizon Business.  "These awards underscore the high level of customer satisfaction our services built on Cisco solutions deliver, which is especially important as we move to an everything-as-a-service delivery model for enterprise IT solutions."  

Over the past 12 months, Verizon Business broadened its offerings based on Cisco platforms, adding new managed services for unified communications and collaboration, IP trunking and voice-over-IP, contact centers and data centers.

"It was a privilege to recognize Verizon Business as a Cisco Partner Summit regional and theater award winner," said Wendy Bahr, senior vice president – U.S. and Canada channels, Cisco.  "These awards highlight Verizon Business' performance and success as a Cisco channel partner in the United States and Canada."

The awards were presented last month at Cisco's annual partner summit in San Francisco.  Verizon Business was selected from Cisco's U.S. and Canadian channel partners.

Cisco Partner Summit awards are presented to channel partners meeting a specific set of requirements, including customer satisfaction and revenue growth.  The formal nomination and selection process begins with each sales theater, or region, nominating a channel partner.  Nominations are reviewed and final selections made by a group of Cisco worldwide and regional channel executives.

A Cisco Gold and Managed Services Master Partner, Verizon Business has an extensive worldwide service, sales and support team.  Approximately 1,900 employees hold nearly 3,500 Cisco qualified specialist certifications in advanced routing and switching, wireless, security, unified communications and data centers.

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.

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SOURCE Verizon Communications