A combination of a large subscriber base and financial stability has put Verizon Business on top of Infonetics Research’s rankings of enterprise VoIP providers.
Analyst Diane Myers, who authored the study, says that Infonetics ranked VoIP providers in several different categories, including their total number of IP Centrex subscribers, total number of trunk connections, financial stability, marketing strategies and the variety of services offered. The study did not employ metrics such as quality of service, as it was mainly intended to establish which VoIP providers were market leaders, Myers says.
Although Verizon ranked behind New Global Telecom in terms of overall enterprise VoIP subscribers and behind Global Crossing, Apex and XO in terms of overall trunk connections, the company’s overall financial stability boosts its ranking to the top spot, Myers says. In addition to Verizon Business, Myers also gave high marks to VoIP providers New Global Telecom and Cbeyond for “offering compelling business solutions” in a “highly competitive market.”
Myers says that while Verizon is tops among enterprise VoIP providers, it could still improve its overall marketing strategy and focus more tightly on attracting customers that fit its network strengths and capabilities. In particular, she thinks that Verizon’s international footprint makes it well-positioned to service large multinational companies, as well as national companies such as retailers that have a centralized headquarters and several smaller branches spread throughout the country.
“Very few carriers are well-positioned to serve those businesses and Verizon Business is one of them,” she explains. “Large operators typically try to be all things to all people, but a lot of the time they’re better served by deciding to focus on their target market.”
