LAS VEGAS -– Verizon is making it easier for on-the-go professionals to answer calls on the first ring while away from the office with a new unified communications service that transfers the capabilities of an office phone to a cell phone.

The new PBX Mobile Extension offering, announced today at the CTIA Wireless 2008 trade show in Las Vegas, uses the latest version of the award-winning Ascendent Voice Mobility Suite from Ascendent Systems (a subsidiary of Research In Motion), to deliver an advanced, enterprise-grade unified communications system. In addition, PBX Mobile Extension now directly supports the BlackBerry® Mobile Voice System (MVS)* from Research In Motion, providing BlackBerry smartphone users with secure access to a company’s PBX functionality.

The software-based service, replaces Verizon Business’ PBX Mobile Extension offering announced in June 2007, enables large-business and government customers to avoid the complexity and cost inherent in purchasing and deploying separate hardware that was required with the prior offering. With this offering, companies will be able to use standard “off-the-shelf” servers.

“Busy professionals today are demanding new devices and services that help them improve their productivity whether in the office or on the road,” said Nancy Gofus, chief marketing officer for Verizon Business. “By combining the power of Verizon’s wired and wireless networks with Ascendent Systems’ leading voice mobility software and BlackBerry smartphones, we are enabling a new level collaboration and productivity for an increasingly mobile workforce.”

The new fixed-mobile-convergence (FMC) offering, available next month in the U.S. to enterprise customers of Verizon Business and Verizon Wireless, works with traditional or IP-based private branch exchange (PBX) service, including Verizon IP Trunking and Verizon Managed IP PBX. Among other features, it works with any mobile phone from any wireless provider in the U.S. and enables mobile workers to move seamlessly between mobile phones and desk phones to maintain calls in progress; conduct real-time conference calls; and initiate mass notifications enabling businesses to quickly respond to urgent situations. When used in conjunction with the BlackBerry MVS, users get intuitive and visual enterprise desk-phone features through menus built directly into the BlackBerry phone application.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ)