Setting new standards for VoIP services and security
With Verizon Business, you can achieve reliable VoIP services with a high Quality of Service (QoS) and maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your VoIP infrastructure. We were the first company to join the VoIP Security Alliance (VOIPSA) and we’ve been instrumental in developing IP Telephony security standards and solutions. When it comes to security, we know a "one size fits all" model doesn’t cut it. Our VoIP security solutions are customized, based on a thorough understanding of your organization's security policies and priorities.
VoIP Security Assessments
Expert assessment is the foundation of sound network design and policy development. Our VoIP Assessment Team evaluates the security of your VoIP infrastructure from a high-level architecture overview and a low-level technical perspective, offering an in-depth analysis of network architecture, configuration of individual VoIP components, and configuration changes to integrate equipment.
Customized Policy
A customized VoIP Assessment evaluates the security posture of your VoIP infrastructure, enabling you to develop policies to address your organization's specific security requirements.
Proactive Design
Verizon Business can build your highly secure VoIP network from the ground up, helping protect your communications assets and manage your VoIP network and security costs.
Secure Facilities and Servers
Access to Verizon Business facilities is highly restricted and secure measures are in place to prevent server access by unauthorized parties.
- Centralized server access provides authentication control
- Data and network integrity maintained through restricted server access
- Administrators must log in to a central server using RADIUS authentication to access any other network server.
Authentication and Encryption
Verizon Business has authentication and encryption security policies in place to protect the confidentiality and privacy of VoIP traffic.
- IPSec enables encryption of communications and provides reliable identification of parties.
- Passwords are reset prior to shipping equipment making it more difficult for an intruder to gain access with a common password.
- We disable telnet access to IP phones because telnet is not encrypted and could create a gap in VoIP security.
Cisco SIP Firewalls
Verizon Business deploys Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) aware firewalls designed for VoIP. SIP-aware firewalls provide a single point of focus for security policies which can define which resources have access to other resources— you can restrict or allow access.
- Work without disturbing service functionality
- Help secure the perimeter and protect vital components
- Ensure only messages originating from Verizon Business proxies reach the IP phones
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General
What is the advantage of Verizon Business's VoIP Products?
Our portfolio of VoIP products provide Enterprise-Class products for companies of all sizes. You can choose from packages of local, long distance and IP-based services or tailor them to the unique needs of your business. Internet and VoIP phone services are delivered through the same access link. One network through one provider means just one source to turn to for technical support and service. And Verizon Business's portfolio of products is backed by our stringent SLAs (service level agreements).
Our product portfolio delivered through the Verizon Business IP backbone includes:
IP Flexible T1
IP Flexible T1 is part of the Verizon Business Voice over IP (VoIP) portfolio, and is specifically designed for small enterprise locations with an existing key system using 24 lines or less. The service provides the familiar provisioning processes and features of a traditional line-based service with the efficiency benefits of VoIP. Because this service works with existing Key Telephone systems, there is no need for additional investment in costly infrastructure or desktop equipment.
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IP Integrated Access
IP Integrated Access allows you to migrate to a full VoIP environment at your own pace and budget. This service works with existing Key or PBX systems, thereby eliminating the need to invest in extra equipment. There's no need for equipment changeover or service disruption. IP Integrated Access is ideally suited for any business customer that needs converged voice and data access and has an existing TDM PBX.
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Hosted IP Centrex
Hosted IP Centrex delivers all the features of a PBX or Key system without the associated capital, lease, or maintenance costs. All the PBX–type functionality resides in the Verizon Business network. Hosted IP Centrex is ideal for customers ready to replace an outdated PBX or Key system, or are moving to or establishing a new location.
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IP Trunking
IP Trunking is designed for enterprise businesses that have already implemented an IP PBX with IP phones. With IP Trunking there is no need to purchase complex and costly TDM enterprise gateway CPE. It is an innovative product that provides the VoIP access and essential features enterprise customers require.
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Managed IP PBX
Managed IP PBX is designed for enterprises that need to control change management for their PBX but would like top level managed services. With Managed IP PBX, businesses gain the power of Verizon Business's IP telephony expertise and the versatility and ease of premise-based VoIP service. Managed IP PBX is a scalable solution that is designed for 10-500 locations, 200-3000 phones, or campus hubs.
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Where are your VoIP products available?
Verizon Business VoIP products are available in the US, Australia, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada and South Africa. Please contact us to verify availability in your area.
Can I subscribe to more than one VoIP product? For example, can a Hosted IP Centrex customer buy additional PBX services?
Yes, our VoIP products are scalable and interchangeable. With this flexibility, you can migrate to a totally VoIP environment according to your pace and budget.
How do Verizon Business's VoIP products help reduce costs?
Our VoIP products help control costs in many areas:
- Reduced costs for moves, adds, and changes: Due to the inherent mobility of IP phones, users can easily move phones around their registered location without reprogramming or rewiring. Staff members can administer adds and changes online, including real-time dialing plan changes.
- Calling options available to meet your needs. Verizon VoIP offers a range of choices such as unlimited pricing, metered pricing and tiered pricing.
- Lower bandwidth requirements: Using compression, you can use your Verizon access circuit for all your calls. Instead of the 64 Kbps typically required per traditional voice call, you can compress voice traffic to approximately 32 Kbps per call (including overhead), which can help you manage bandwidth costs while maintaining business-level quality.
- Use your existing Key or PBX equipment: Verizon Business's VoIP products offer a range of choices - they can interface with an existing PBX or Key System or provide hosted and managed solutions, as well as ones that deliver an end-to-end solution. Choose the product that matches your needs.
- Reduced costs for mobile employees: Remote users can access the network as if they were on-net and avoid incurring call charges on a residential or hotel phone bill.
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Technology
How do Verizon Business's VoIP products work?
Our network architecture is an open architecture based on the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) standard. We have been a major innovator of SIP functionality, which is widely accepted as the call control protocol leader for IP telephony.
What is SIP?
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a call control protocol that establishes and terminates "media sessions." Examples of media sessions include phone calls, e-mail, streamed video, and instant messaging. SIP standardizes these communications by adding a protocol that is independent of the underlying network and infrastructure. It is not dependent on ports, pipes, hardware or software, but allows all of these components to talk with each other and media to be controlled independently from the network.
SIP is the packet voice protocol of choice by major IP voice initiatives such as the G3 wireless consortium and Microsoft.
A highly flexible protocol, SIP specifies the basic and supplementary services to create, modify, and delete these multimedia sessions or calls. By utilizing SIP, we enable customers to use applications regardless of the client's network or access type.
SIP's foundation in HTTP allows it to integrate with Web, e-mail, and other data applications using a URL format, providing a highly flexible protocol. SIP's ease of use and flexibility pave the way for new services and capabilities in the future.
Can I use an existing PBX system with Verizon Business's VoIP products?
You may use your existing PBX to connect to the VoIP service. A customer-premise Enterprise Gateway (EGW) is placed at each PBX location to convert signaling and media between the IP network and PSTN networks. The gateway may be configured as a separate device, or the functionality may be combined with an existing router. We support T1 Channel Associated Signaling or Primary Rate Interface (PRI) between the PBX and router.
Are the network gateways redundant?
Yes. We have fully redundant network gateways.
Which transport networks does Verizon Business work with?
You may currently utilize Internet Dedicated, DSL, or Private IP for your network transport. Managed IP PBX provides additional options for access methods including Frame Relay, ATM and Private Line.
Does Verizon Business currently use VoIP?
Yes, we have more than 280 T1s in use with VoIP today.
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Equipment
Can I use my existing equipment or do I need to start from scratch?
Verizon Business understands that our customers have substantial investments in circuit-switched hardware and phone systems, so we have created an environment where you can decide what makes sense for your organization. Keep your existing PBX, use your existing phones, or deploy SIP phones to the desktop—or do a combination of the options above. Verizon Business's VoIP products provide innovative features with unlimited expansion possibilities, growing as your organization grows.
How are IP phones different?
IP phones enable you to make IP calls straight from your desktop, allowing your business to remove your PBX or to enable a new site with no investment in a PBX or other traditional voice equipment. These phones also have several other benefits: Moves, adds, and changes support requirements are greatly reduced due to the plug-and play-nature of these devices. They connect to a LAN port and can be configured via the VoIP Web site. A significant benefit is the ability for any user to authenticate on a particular phone, and receive their chosen phone services, such as voicemail, call screening, or forwarding.
Is it necessary to buy the IP Phones?
No, depending on the solution selected, you can continue to use your PBX, Key System or Analog phones.
What's the process for changing features? Moving an end user from one office to another?
Features can be managed through our convenient and easy-to-use Web-based interface. IP phones can be moved by simply unplugging and plugging into a new cube/office within their registered location.
Premium service options can provide ongoing support and assistance with feature changes.
What type of signaling interfaces between the PBX and customer premise router does Verizon Business support?
We support T1 Channel Associated Signaling or Primary Rate Interface (PRI) between a customer's PBX and customer's gateway.
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Quality of Service (QoS)
How would you compare the voice quality for this service to that of regular PSTN service?
The quality is comparable to regular Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) service. We manage QoS using equipment on the customer premise, as well as in our network.
The benefits of this solution include:
- High quality voice calls
- Voice traffic is prioritized over data for inbound and outbound traffic
- Eliminates the need to overprovision bandwidth
- Enhances router performance by offloading QoS function
Does the voice prioritization used to preserve QoS ever interfere with data traffic?
It typically does not. Data packets may experience some delay under Quality of Service (QoS) voice packet prioritization, but it should not affect delivery in a noticeable way.
What happens to my VoIP calling when there is a slowdown or congestion in the network?
Voice and data packets travel over Verizon Business's dedicated IP network, not the public Internet, so congestion on the backbone is unlikely. We have found that congestion is more likely to occur on the access circuits, again reinforcing the need for a well-designed network.
Are Service Level Agreements (SLAs) offered for VoIP?
Our stringent network SLAs apply to the underlying data network of all of our VoIP customers.
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Security and Routing
What security features are in place?
Authentication and Validation are the primary security features used by the phones. Authentication validates the usernames and passwords to ensure only trusted users are on the network. For SIP Phones, authentication is performed by SIP digest user authentication. For a PBX with a router/gateway, authentication is performed via IP Sec.
Can you originate and terminate toll-free traffic with Verizon Business's VoIP products?
Yes, toll-free traffic can originate and terminate. Advanced toll-free features, such as Enhanced Call Routing, are currently in development.
How does my firewall impact VoIP?
Verizon Business has certified several I-enabled firewalls, which can be used alongside your existing firewall and will allow SIP traffic to pass to phone users. In addition, several pieces of our certified CPE include a firewall, so customers do not need additional equipment on the premise.
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Features
Can I place and receive local calls with VoIP?
Yes, Verizon VoIP supports Local Calling in every country that the service is offered in. Contact us to check for availability.
Will my phone numbers remain the same? What about DID and toll-free numbers?
Yes, these numbers will remain the same.
Is there a charge for Local Number Portability (LNP)?
There is no charge for porting your existing numbers to us.
What dialing plans can be used with VoIP?
Dial plans in place today for existing Verizon Business voice customers can be supported. Additionally, your PBX dial plans can also be supported. Dialing plans may be up to 32 digits in length.
Is 911 service supported?
Yes, 911 service is supported and PS/ALI are supported.
Is Directory Assistance available with Verizon Business VoIP products?
Yes, directory assistance is fully supported.
What calling features are offered?
Verizon Business's VoIP services support many of the traditional calling features that users and administrators have grown accustomed to, such as call forwarding, voicemail and call waiting. In addition to these features, we offer a number of advanced IP features to enhance your voice capabilities, such as call forwarding, selective call acceptance, call blast, as well as Web-based delivery of voicemail messages and Web-based administration. For more details on these and other features with the service, refer to Verizon Business VoIP Features.
Can I subscribe to any voice or Advanced IP features that my current key system or PBX does not support?
Yes, you can use Verizon Business VoIP hosted features to supplement your premise equipment capabilities.
What Management/Administrator features are available with Verizon Business's VoIP products?
Administrators can manage enterprise settings using our Enterprise Center Web portal to make provisioning changes and administer features and calling treatments. Administrators can also access call reporting details via the Web interface.
How many IP addresses are included?
64 IP addresses are standard with Verizon Business's VoIP products.
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Customer Support
What support is in place for me once my company moves to Verizon Business VoIP products?
A single team, Verizon Business VoIP Sales Support, supports all VoIP orders. They bring the following expertise to your VoIP experience:
- Track milestones, communicate to team, and drive the order(s) to completion.
- Work with the Account team to assure the technical solution best fits the business case.
- Support all your issues following installation.
- Verizon Business VoIP Sales Support is available prior to and following your installation. They will work with you to maintain the features and setup that your business requires.
Will Sales Support assist me with feature management changes or with CPE and LAN configuration?
Though the Web-based adminstrator and user portals are quick and easy to use, there are Premium Service
options available to assist with per-user, adminstrator or enterprise level feature changes. In addition,
Premium Service can also provide phone or on-site support for CPE or LAN configuration.
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