Verizon (News - Alert) Communications' business unit, Verizon Business, has announced their SIP Gateway VoIP customers will have a host of new features and functionalities to choose from beginning in September.

 

These additions are in response to the growing demand and market for VoIP provide Verizon business customers with new functionalities and added choices.

 

Jim Tyrrell, vice president of voice product management for Verizon commented, "Since we successfully launched our wholesale VoIP product suite two years ago, we have continued to seek -- and find -- effective ways to fulfill the needs of our customers."

 

"Performance, reliability and a competitive cost structure are table stakes in this market. Our intent is to reach beyond those basics to offer an exceptional product with superior features," Tyrrell also commented.

 

Customers will benefit from new features and capabilities including customization, pricing flexibility, fraud detection and others.

 

Offering what the company refers to as "the most sought-after" feature is new Foreign Telephone Number Assignment (FTNA) capabilities.

 

With this feature it is possible for businesses to assign local numbers, even outside the normal local calling area, to their customers. Not only will this bring convenience to their customers but it will also save on call costs by giving businesses the ability to locate at different places, if needed, and still keep local numbers.

 

Another new feature outlined in a company news release, will allow customers to pick and choose features that save on costs while also improving efficiency. "For example, wholesale customers will have the ability to order two-way telephone numbers associated with SIP Gateway (News - Alert) Service with or without E911 service," a news release noted.

 

In addition to the ability for wholesale customers to choose between metered or unmetered pricing for SIP Gateway Service Inbound Complete, customers will also have a new Discretionary Call Blocking feature that will allow them to block up to eight different calls (such as international long-distance) when an order is placed. This is integrated into the network switch, eliminating the need for wholesale customers to manage the blocking function.

 

In a bid to improve fraud detection, a new feature was also added that detects fraudulent VoIP traffic and blocks suspected traffic, if needed.

And finally a new seasonal pricing option was added to allow wholesale customers the ability to keep a telephone number but temporarily suspend service if needed, excluding 911 calls.

 

Verizon also recently announced a new Integrated Communications Package to provide better management of communications and improved collaboration and mobility for government and business employees using VoIP.