Verizon Expanding High-Speed Internet Access to Thousands More West Virginia Customers


DSL Service Offers Choice of Speeds, Excellent Value for Residential, Business Customers

CHARLESTON, W.Va., July 6 / By the end of this year, thousands more Verizon residential and business customers throughout West Virginia will be able enjoy the benefits of high-speed Internet access, as Verizon aggressively expands the availability of digital subscriber line (DSL) service across the state.

Verizon West Virginia this year is investing nearly $5 million specifically for DSL deployment in many smaller communities and rural areas of the state. The company is upgrading equipment at its 15 remaining switching-center locations that are do not yet provide DSL and at more than 90 remotely located facilities. By the end of December, Verizon plans to have all 142 of its West Virginia switching centers DSL-capable and more than 38,000 additional phone lines eligible for DSL service across the state, including places like Apple Grove, Franklin, Meadow Bridge and Rock Cave.

As a result of Verizon's ongoing investment in its West Virginia network, the company will be able to offer DSL service to nearly 350 communities across the Mountain State by the end of this year.

"Verizon is committed to bringing high-speed Internet service to as many of our customers as we can," said H. Stan Cavendish, president of Verizon West Virginia. "Advances in broadband technology are allowing us to bring DSL service to more customers in more places and to ensure that West Virginia is well-positioned for future growth and economic development."

Consumers can visit www.verizon.net/ to see if Verizon Online DSL is available at their home and to order service. Consumers who order an annual service plan online can take advantage of a current promotion by choosing a maximum connection speed of up to 3.0 Mbps (megabits per second) downstream and 768 Kbps (kilobits per second) upstream with the first month free, the second and third month for $21.95 per month, and $29.95 per month thereafter. Or, they can select a maximum connection speed of up to 768 Kbps downstream and 128 Kbps upstream with the first month free and just $14.95 per month thereafter when ordered online. Both plans include 24/7 technical support, a 30-day money-back guarantee, a choice of free Verizon Yahoo! or MSN Premium services, 9 e-mail accounts, 10 MB of personal Web space and a do-it-yourself installation kit.

Verizon also has a number of DSL plans that offer excellent value for business customers, with maximum connection speeds ranging from up to 768 Kbps/128 Kbps to up to 7.1 Mbps/768 Kbps. For more information on business DSL offerings, visit http://www22.verizon.com/content/BusinessDSL/.

According to a number of recent independent research studies, DSL is fast becoming the broadband connection of choice for U.S. consumers. The Leichtman Research Group reports that more than half of all new high-speed Internet customers chose DSL over cable modem service in 2005, and Forrester Research found that DSL sales and market share continue to climb, outpacing cable growth. The industry research firm reported that, in 2005, the nation's major DSL providers increased their customer base by 39 percent, nearly double the major cable providers' 21-percent increase in cable modem users.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), a Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 53 million customers nationwide. Verizon Business operates one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks. Verizon Telecom is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers. Based in New York, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 250,000 and generates annual consolidated operating revenues of approximately $90 billion. For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com/.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

Source: Verizon

CONTACT: Media, Lee Gierczynski of Verizon, +1-412-633-5574,
lee.j.gierczynski@verizon.com

Web site: http://www.verizon.com/
http://www.verizon.net/
http://www22.verizon.com/content/BusinessDSL
http://www.verizon.com/news

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