Conferencing Services Quickly Relocated After Evacuation of Cedar Rapids Conferencing Call Center BASKING RIDGE, N.J., June 25
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., June 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether it's raging rivers in
the Midwest, undersea quakes in the Pacific Ring of Fire, typhoons in Asia or
hurricanes in America, Verizon Business acts at a moment's notice to protect
and restore its network facilities around the world.
The latest test of the company's preparedness for natural or manmade
disasters occurred recently when record flooding in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, forced
the relocation of Verizon Business' conferencing services. The company
quickly implemented an alternate means of providing the services.
Based on its successful track record for protecting its network in
emergency situations, Verizon Business Wednesday (June 25) became the first
North American-based global communications provider to be recognized by BSI
Management Systems as a leading provider of business continuity management
services. (See separate news release.)
Verizon Business' 16,000 operations and technology employees monitor and
maintain -- around-the-clock, seven days a week -- a leading global IP network
with 485,000 miles of fiber-optic cable serving 150 countries and 2,700 cities
worldwide. Redundancy and diversity are built into the network at every
available opportunity.
[Note: An audio podcast discussing business continuity and Verizon
Business global network readiness is available at
http://www.podtech.net/home/5241/business-continuity-and-verizon-business-
global-network-readiness. Due to length of URL, please copy and paste link
into browser. Remove the space if one exists.]
(Due to length of URL, Please copy and paste link into browser. Remove the
space if one exists.)
When human or natural disaster events strike, the Verizon Business team
reacts quickly.
"Our employees are prepared to respond immediately to disruptive events
that could impact our network around the world," said Jeannie Diefenderfer,
Verizon Business vice president of global network operations. "In today's
environment, a company must anticipate and quickly recover from any unexpected
event while continuing its regular operations."
Verizon Business has numerous business continuance and emergency
management (BCEM) plans that can be implemented within minutes of an event.
The company maintains organizational, network, systems and disaster-recovery
plans for local, regional, national and global events. These plans are tested
regularly to ensure employees are aware of every detail and can perform their
jobs in the most difficult situations.
Business Continuity Plans Put to the Test in Iowa
With recent floods in the Midwest, Verizon Business had to implement its
proactive business-continuity measures. As flood waters began to rise near
network buildings in Iowa and Wisconsin, Verizon Business engaged available
company resources throughout the United States. The company's global event
network management center in Cary, N.C., which coordinates the protection and
restoration of ongoing network related issues around the world, was brought
into service first.
The company then activated its local emergency coordinating center, which
provided logistical and communications support to the field operation teams
near the flood waters. Emergency response teams from several states provided
extra personnel and equipment. The Verizon Business National Emergency
Coordinating Center (NECC) in Richardson, Texas, was also activated.
In addition to protecting its network, Verizon Business also had to
implement a business continuance plan for its own global conferencing
organization when flood waters closed its administrative facility in downtown
Cedar Rapids. The facility was closed before any flood waters reached it, but
almost 800 employees were displaced as a result of this building closure.
"Flood or no flood, we had a conferencing customer who needed 7,000 ports
for a conference call, and we had to provide that customer and all customers
with the best conferencing services available whether we were in our regular
office or not," said Dick Price, Verizon Business executive director of
business continuance and emergency management.
"When we were told by city officials that a mandatory evacuation was in
process due to the rising water and our building would be closed until further
notice, we immediately began steps to relocate the conferencing center," Price
said. "Since we have been through similar circumstances of relocating
business functions during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and during the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks in New York City, we are well-versed in responding to these
issues quickly."
Working with the BCEM team, the NECC and Verizon Business' Satellite
Solutions Group in Plano, Texas, the company was able to implement within six
hours a means of providing the conferencing services via satellite.
"This is the beauty of having strategic resources at our fingertips when
working major events," Price said. "We can provide complete solutions to some
very difficult business issues within a short timeframe."
About Verizon Business
Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), operates
the world's most connected public IP network and uses its industry-leading
global-network capabilities to offer large-business and government customers
an unmatched combination of security, reliability and speed. The company
integrates advanced IP communications and information technology (IT) products
and services to deliver leading enterprise solutions including managed
services, security, mobility, collaboration and professional services. These
solutions power innovation and enable the company's customers to do business
better. For more information, visit www.verizonbusiness.com.
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SOURCE Verizon Business
