Energy Savings Programs Help Verizon Wireless Cut Costs And Aid The Environment

Solutions from Sun Microsystems and 1E Help Increase Efficiency

Verizon Wireless, owner and operator of the nation’s most reliable wireless network, today announced it is implementing new hardware and software to help the company reduce energy costs.

“We are committed to ensuring that all of our systems are highly reliable and that we are providing employees with the best possible technology available to serve our customers,” said John Hinshaw, senior vice president and chief information officer of Verizon Wireless. “We are committed on Earth Day and every other day to cut energy costs and do what is best for the company, our customers and the environment.”

To help reduce energy costs at its wireless customer support centers, Verizon Wireless turned to Sun Microsystems, a leader in eco responsibility and innovation. Sun provided Verizon Wireless with Sun Ray thin client workstations running on the Solaris™ Operating System for its Chandler, Ariz., Albuquerque, N.M., and Irvine, Calif. call centers. Sun Ray thin clients run on four watts of electricity, less than a household light bulb and a small fraction of the power drawn by the average PC. Sun Ray thin clients process only keyboard input and screen output, leaving application processing and storage to the server. By using Sun Ray thin clients, Verizon Wireless reduced its total energy usage at each facility by 30 percent. Because Sun Ray thin clients have a lifespan of up to ten years, fewer parts end up in a landfill.

“Verizon Wireless is achieving a real triple win for their IT operations, their energy bill and the planet,” said Dave Douglas, vice president of eco responsibility for Sun Microsystems. “By adopting Sun Ray thin clients, Verizon Wireless has increased computing flexibility and decreased administration costs because software updates are done via the server. Add to that the remarkable energy savings of a thin client and you’ve got the perfect example of how the right computing solution can be good for the environment and the bottom line.”

Also assisting Verizon Wireless are solutions from 1E, a global Windows Management software and services company that specializes in providing leading-edge automation solutions that reduce complexity, management costs and power consumption for large-scale desktop and server environments. Verizon Wireless purchased SMSWakeUp™, which ensures that all PCs, whether on or off, can be patched immediately, and NightWatchman®, which significantly reduces the power consumed by PCs.

“1E was delighted to be involved in this project. We know from our customers that energy efficiency can make a major contribution to an organization’s bottom line, particularly in the field of desktop computing,” explained Sumir Karayi, chief executive officer of 1E. “Using software such as NightWatchman that intelligently makes PCs sleep or shutdown as appropriate, and SMSWakeUp which securely turns on PCs for updating; IT infrastructures can be kept up to date while maximizing savings. NightWatchman also provides high-speed, detailed reporting of current and potential energy savings, enabling organizations to closely monitor their performance against energy saving policies and determine the most appropriate policies for the future.”

Leveraging its greatest asset – its network – Verizon Wireless continues to lead the industry by offering the highest quality products and services while introducing innovative technology solutions. Verizon Wireless recently introduced its 30-day Test Drive, an industry first that lets customers experience its network virtually risk-free for 30 days. If customers are not satisfied with their experience and take their number to another carrier, Verizon Wireless will refund their money for calls, equipment, activation fee and taxes.