Verizon promises to cut international roaming costs - for corporates

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 12 May 2010 14:14

Business IT - Networking

Verizon Business has unveiled a service designed to cut international mobile roaming costs for multinationals by using fixed-mobile convergence technologies and VoIP services.

The service is presently available only in Europe, and the company has given no timetable for its extension to Asia Pacific. However, it says that European staff of customers based outside Europe will be able to user the service.

There is huge demand from multinationals for functionality that simplifies operation of mobile services across geographies and reduces costs. In March INTUG - the International Telecommunications Users Group - issued a report in which it described provision of mobile services to multinational corporations as dysfunctional and called on network operators and regulators worldwide to lift their game.

Verizon Business has given few details of its new fixed mobile convergence offering. INTUG was not impressed with then current offerings aimed at simplifying and reducing costs of cross border mobile operations. INTUG said that such offerings were, in effect, simply virtual arrangements to help customers deal with national operating companies and their service/support structures.

"Whilst such arrangements do align some contractual terms and conditions, and help customers gain a better view on their global mobile spend, they do not represent the true competing one-stop-shopping offerings, which international companies seek today."

At the company's recent press conference in Singapore, iTWire asked Blair Crump, Verizon Business' group president worldwide sales and services, if he had any comment on the situation as described by INTUG, but he said he had no knowledge of the report.

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