BASKING RIDGE, N.J., May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- LQ Management L.L.C., owner and operator of La Quinta Inns & Suites, understands that integrated IT and communications can help provide a better guest experience, which is why the company continues to rely on Verizon Business.

Under a new three-year, $11 million agreement that extends the two companies' existing relationship, Verizon Business is providing an integrated network and communications solution that includes voice-over-IP service for LQ Management's operations and wireless access for guests at its nearly 800 corporate-owned and franchise hotels located in 46 states.

LQ Management, headquartered in Irving, Texas, needed a secure and reliable underlying infrastructure for connecting its widespread operations, including its reservation call center in Canada and its centralized data center. Verizon's global Private IP network - with its six classes of service for prioritizing business applications - was an ideal solution, capable of growing with the company, which added 80 properties in 2008 and 90 properties in 2009, to accommodate its expanding base of leisure and business travelers.

"The benefits of upgrading our IT infrastructure for long-term, strategic growth have been innumerable," said Vivek Shaiva, CIO with LQ Management L.L.C. "Consolidating our data, voice and video applications onto one network has simplified our operations, proven to be cost effective, and significantly reduced technical issues across our locations, resulting in enhanced customer service."

La Quinta Inns & Suites, recently ranked by Business Travel News Magazine as one of the top mid-tier hotels for business travelers, offers its guests free in-room high-speed Internet access powered by Verizon, in addition to comfortable and affordable accommodations.

In 2009, Verizon Business was ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction With Large Enterprise Business Phone Service Providers" by J.D. Power and Associates. Study factors used to measure satisfaction included performance and reliability, sales representatives/account executives, billing, cost of service, customer service, and offerings and promotions.

J.D. Power and Associates Disclaimer: Verizon Business received the highest numerical score among voice service providers in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Major Provider Business Telecommunications Services Study - Voice Service(SM). U.S. home-based, small to mid-sized and large-enterprise business customers were surveyed to measure customer satisfaction with providers of telecommunications voice services such as voice-over-IP (VoIP), call center technologies, toll-free services, voicemail/voice messaging, Centrex services, call forwarding, and local and long distance services. The surveys were conducted in January and April 2009.

About Verizon Business

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with one of the world's most connected IP networks to deliver award-winning communications, IT, information security and network solutions. We securely connect today's extended enterprises of widespread and mobile customers, partners, suppliers and employees - enabling them to increase productivity and efficiency and help preserve the environment. Many of the world's largest businesses and governments - including 96 percent of the Fortune 1000 and thousands of government agencies and educational institutions - rely on our professional and managed services and network technologies to accelerate their business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.

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SOURCE Verizon Business