Florida's Seasonal Residents Heading North After the Winter Get Simple, Free Way to Reserve Verizon Services

TAMPA, Fla. - Part-time Floridians who give up the colorful shells, gulf breezes and the area greens keepers once they head back North don't need to give up their Verizon Florida phone line when they pack their bags. Starting Tuesday (March 20), seasonal residents can reserve home phone service and high-speed Internet service for up to six months absolutely free. There is no setup charge or monthly payment.

"Our visiting Florida residence customers now have the simplicity of just giving us a call, telling us when they're leaving and when they'll be back, and their line with the same phone number and their high-speed Internet service will be there for them when they return," said Alan Ciamporcero, Verizon's Southeast region president.  "Nothing could be easier, and you can't beat free."

Previously there were setup charges and monthly fees for service reservations.  Other service providers in Florida, including Bright House, still charge for the service.

The ordering fee and monthly recurring charge associated with keeping the DSL circuit in place and ready for re-activation also will be waived for part-time residents.  Customers who purchase DIRECTV from Verizon already have the option under DIRECTV's contract to reserve service for up to six months for free.

Customers can call 1-800-483-4000 to request the temporary deferral. Once customers inform Verizon of their departure and return dates, service restoration will be automatic for voice and Internet services.  For DIRECTV negotiations, Verizon customer service representatives will forward callers to DIRECTV staff who can arrange deferral of entertainment services.

Verizon is the only company of its kind delivering the benefits of the most advanced all-digital, all-fiber-optic network all the way to customers in areas where the company's FiOS services are available.  At the same time, Verizon's traditional copper network offers reliability and DSL Internet access that - unlike cable TV Internet services -- is not shared by other customers, assuring better speed performance during busy hours.

"This option shows we are serious about keeping customers, even if they are only with us for part of the year," Ciamporcero said.  "We're reminding our seasonal customers, along with our resident Florida customers, how important they are to us and that we have products and services -- like our super-reliable network-based calling services and our dynamic high-speed Internet links -- that are the best in the market."

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, 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 more than 59 million customers nationwide.  Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which operates one of the most expansive wholly owned global IP networks, and Verizon Telecom, which is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of approximately 242,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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