Feb 16 2008
What does it mean when a company "goes green"? For Verizon Wireless, it means lower energy usage, power consumption and emissions, as well as environmentally-friendly options that improve the customer experience.
In recognition of the company's "green" IT practices, Verizon Wireless was the only wireless carrier named to IDG Computerworld's first-ever list of top Green-IT Companies for 2008. The honor is part of Computerworld's inaugural Green-IT Companies feature in its Feb. 18 issue and online at Computerworld.com.
"At Verizon Wireless, we view going 'green' as important not only for the environment and our business, but also for our customers," said Ajay Waghray, chief information officer at Verizon Wireless. "Energy-saving initiatives make us more efficient and enable us to provide improved products and services for our customers. One example is Verizon Wireless' 'green bill,' available in our online customer account system, My Account, which puts detailed usage and billing information at our customers' fingertips in real-time. In addition to eliminating monthly mailings, saving paper and reducing the carbon footprint that results from the mailing process, they will find more useful ways to organize and analyze their account information than with any paper bill."
In recognizing the company, Computerworld noted Verizon Wireless deployed more than 7,000 thin clients in 12 call centers nationwide, reducing energy consumption and cooling costs. Power consumption tests at the company's Chandler, Ariz., call center showed a 62.5 percent overall decrease in energy usage after deployment. Verizon Wireless also rolled out power management software on 61,000 managed desktops companywide that enables automatic shutdown and sleep schedules. The initiative accounted for a 24 percent reduction in both PC power consumption and CO2 emissions. In addition to pursuing energy-saving technology in call centers, Verizon Wireless has also implemented virtualization technology in its data centers. This approach, coupled with the higher energy efficiency of the new servers, significantly decreases electricity and cooling costs.
"Being 'green' is not just saying you're conscious about the environment and its challenges. In today's business world, it's about efficiency, power consumption and applying those green principles to smart business decision making," said Don Tennant, editorial director, Computerworld. "The companies recognized in our first Top Green-IT Computing issue have taken a serious look at how they impact the environment and how they can address those challenges with good business sense."
The Top Green-IT Companies have been selected by Computerworld for implementing smart, efficient strategies to achieve "green IT." Companies were measured against a set of criteria developed by Computerworld and green IT experts that identified how organizations are working to reduce energy consumption in IT equipment and are using technology to conserve energy and lower carbon emissions.