Jan Dawson, Pauline Trotter
VZB extends remote access in Europe through UK data MVNO
Verizon Business (VZB), the US-based operator which acquired MCI earlier this year, has quietly launched a GPRS/3G access option to its remote access offering in the UK through a wholesale deal with one of the UK mobile network operators. This is an extension of Verizon's Enterprise Mobility remote access offering, which already offers remote workers access to corporate networks and resources over dial-up, WiFi, DSL, cable modem and hotel Ethernet. The capability is initially being made available to UK-billed customers, although those customers can take the service abroad and roam on other operators' networks there. Customers are provided with Verizon-branded SIM cards and are offered either pay-as-you-go or a flat-rate tariff. The flat-rate tariff can be shared by multiple users. Verizon has declined to name the underlying mobile network operator. Comment: This news further confirms VZB's intentions in Europe, coming soon after last month's announcement that it will extend its previously US-only voice offerings to Europe. It is not unique in terms of product announcements - other global service providers have launched cellular access as part of their remote access services for enterprises - generally through their own mobile operations (specialist remote access providers such as Fiberlink and iPass provide the majority of their access through wholesale/VNO deals). The good news for enterprise customers is that Verizon's offering is fully integrated, coming with a single contract, single invoice, single helpdesk and single management platform, removing the need to deal separately with the partner mobile data provider.What is also interesting is that a US business provider has succeeded in brokering what is effectively a data MVNO deal in Europe, and used it to launch services directly for European-based companies. It may herald similar announcements in other countries by both Verizon and other providers. Verizon told us that getting such deals with mobile network operators is very difficult indeed, so expanding this approach may be a slow process. But this will now begin to put some pressure on Verizon's major competitors to launch similar offerings, or at least make clear how they intend to cater for the international mobile needs of their business customers.
