Qwest Looks To Boost National Presence With New Network

In his keynote address last week at the company's Q.Marketplace event for business partners, Qwest Chairman and CEO Dick Notebaert said that if approved, the deal would increase Qwest's points of presence (POPs) by nearly 700 and would give it assets in 31 new metro markets.

Qwest channel partners also will play a key role in advancing new Qwest endeavors in federal government and wireless verticals, said Cliff Holtz, executive vice president of Qwest's Business Markets Group.

Broomfield, Colo.-based Qwest this summer inked a deal to distribute Sprint PCS products and services in the 14 states it serves.

"We can't do any of this without your help," Holtz told partners. "All of these are new revenue opportunities for the channel."

Qwest also announced plans for a number of new support programs. Pat Lewis, senior vice president of Qwest Business Partner Program sales, said the company plans to roll out a new Partner Operations Plan (POP) that will help partners increase revenue and strengthen their businesses.

Also at the event, Lewis unveiled the results of a Deloitte Consulting study that found more than 80 percent of Qwest partners are satisfied or extremely satisfied with the company's channel program, and that the most successful Qwest partners represent the fewest number of carriers.

"We work with [two other carriers beside Qwest], and we're doing just fine with Qwest," said Parker Freeland, director of carrier services for MSN Communications, Centennial, Colo.