It’s that time of year when we’re thinking ahead to 2022, but before we do, let’s look back on some highlights of what our award-winning Verizon Business Group accomplished in 2021 around the world:
Winning today, while building for tomorrow.
Let’s start in April, when Chief Revenue Officer for Verizon Business Sampath shared on Up To Speed that Verizon Business had signed its first European private 5G deal with Associated British Ports, which operates the Port of Southampton, one of the busiest ports in the UK.
In June, we announced that the Department of Defense selected Verizon Public Sector to provide the next-generation, low-latency network needed to manage the department’s scientific research, engineering and testing.
Going big with small business
At Verizon, we know there’s nothing small about small business, especially during a challenging year. That’s why we launched Small Business Days in April, offering small business owners the technology and tools they needed to thrive with mobile communications, connectivity and security. Plus, as part of Citizen Verizon, our socially responsible business plan, Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is an initiative that will provide 1 million small businesses with learning modules, expert coaching, peer networking and more.
Helping women succeed in business
Another milestone was reached in October when VBG CEO Tami Erwin and Verizon’s Chief Strategy Officer Rima Qureshi introduced Women’s CoLab. The CoLab is an initiative to help women prepare and succeed in an increasingly digital world. It’s one of many empowering initiatives Verizon delivered this year, including Women in Business events on LinkedIn, including one for Working Mothers, and Championing Women in the Workforce.
Speaking of Tami, congratulations for recently being named one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women.
Official 5G Network partner of the NFL
The future of football arrived in September when we announced our 10-year partnership with the NFL. The league will utilize Verizon 5G to support innovation and technology adoption. The partnership will also produce new fan experiences like Verizon 5G Multi-View, which enables fans to view up to seven simultaneous camera angles.
Mastercard and Verizon partnership for contactless payments
Mastercard and Verizon Business’ joined forces to create new experiences for consumers and businesses with contactless shopping and new ways to consume physical and digital goods, as well as helping small businesses with digital readiness.
Answer the call: Verizon Frontline and the Verizon Response Team
This year, the Verizon Response team was deployed more than 1,000 times to more than 700 communities across the U.S., delivering Verizon Frontline public safety technology to keep first responders and communities connected when they needed it the most.
This team was so dedicated in their response that the Credo Award was presented at the 3Q Results Webcast by Public Sector SVP Jennifer Chronis to the Verizon Response West Team members for their response to major incidents across 16 states in 142 communities. It was truly a heroic effort by the entire team.
Speaking of heroes, they come in all shapes and sizes, including our supersized prototype vehicle THOR. Short for Tactical Humanitarian Operations Response, it’s a first-of-its-kind, mobile rapid-response command center able to deploy Verizon Frontline technology and Private Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband. Landing on Popular Science’s 2021 “Best of What’s New Awards,” the technology offers a look at the future of emergency response.
A year to build on
These were only some of the Verizon Business group’s biggest accomplishments over the past 12 months. With so much momentum heading into 2022, we’ll be looking to deliver even bigger wins across the group, while growing the Security, IoT, BlueJeans and Connect businesses. And, continue to be the partner of choice for customers of all sizes.