This IDC study provides an assessment of the current capabilities and business strategies of leading service providers in the U.S. enterprise networking segment. The industry has been shaped by massive consolidation and transformation, from legacy to IP-based networking.

"Enterprises in the United States have multiple choices, from large national providers such as AT&T and Verizon to smaller and, in some cases, specialized providers such as Global Crossing and Level 3," according to Courtney Munroe, GVP for worldwide telecommunications. "While the results of the overall scores reflect IDC's analysis of the relative strength of each company, selecting a service provider should be based not just on the overall score, but also on factors such as whether that carrier meets the enterprise criteria for network coverage, specific capabilities, and customer care performance."