Save a Bundle With a Broadband Bundle From Verizon

NEW YORK - As the economy continues to take a hit and anxiety about discretionary spending increases, Verizon is offering new bundles of voice, high-speed Internet and television service that deliver the home-entertainment and communications lifestyle that consumers want - without straining their personal or family budgets.

Available now, the new Verizon bundles provide consumers with more simplicity and better value, compared with choices from competitors.

Verizon's new triple-play bundles feature unlimited local and long-distance calling and several popular calling features; Internet access download speeds of up to 1, 3 or 7.1 megabits per second (Mbps); and more than 150 all-digital TV channels from DIRECTV, starting at $79.99 per month for a year.  Double-play bundles feature a combination of home phone and high-speed Internet service or a pairing of home phone and DIRECTV service starting at $49.99 per month for a year.  Compared with ordering stand-alone service for each, the new bundles can save consumers between $15 and $35 per month, depending on the bundle selected.

"Bundles save money, give people the greatest value for their investment and help consumers to affordably continue using today's broadband and entertainment services," said Susan Retta, Verizon vice president of consumer product management. "Whether someone uses the Internet to search for jobs, send and receive e-mail, share photos with family and friends, or enjoy an online video, their experience will be better with Verizon broadband. 

"Our bundles help consumers combat today's higher cost of living, and provide them with essential communication tools should they establish a home-based business or choose to work more frequently from home for either economic or environmental reasons," said Retta.

[Note: Verizon on Monday (Nov. 3) announced the expanded availability of its up-to-7.1 Mbps High Speed Internet service, a new entry-level speed tier and new promotional pricing.   See the related news release at www.verizon.com/newscenter.   To hear a podcast about the value of Verizon broadband bundles in the current economy, go to http://verizon.mediaseed.tv.]

Broadband Speeds, Value-Rich Bundles for Every Lifestyle

As of the end of the third quarter, Verizon High Speed Internet service remains the company's most widely deployed broadband data service, available to about 80 percent of all Verizon local phone lines.

According to PC Magazine's 2008 readers' survey, Verizon High Speed Internet beat the average cable provider's score in reliability, the likelihood of a customer choosing an Internet service provider, as well as the associated costs and fees for the service.

Verizon's fastest tier of High Speed Internet service, based on digital subscriber line technology, delivers speeds of up to 7.1 Mbps and allows Internet users to download information at speeds 125 times faster than a 56 kilobits per second dial-up modem.  The up-to-3 Mbps service delivers download speeds 50 times faster than dial-up.

For $99.99, customers can select a triple-play package of Verizon High Speed Internet service at up to 3 Mbps, unlimited local and nationwide long-distance voice service with several calling features and DIRECTV's PLUS HD DVR package with more than 200 digital TV channels and DVR service, plus a free DVR upgrade and SHOWTIME premium movie channels for 12 months.  Internet access service with speeds up to 7.1 Mbps, where available, can be added to this bundle for just $10 more per month.

For $119.99, customers can obtain a triple-play bundle of Verizon High Speed Internet service at speeds up to 3 Mbps, unlimited local and nationwide long-distance voice service with several calling features and DIRECTV's PLUS HD DVR package with more than 200 digital TV channels and DVR service, plus a free HD-DVR upgrade and SHOWTIME and Starz premium movie channel packages for 12 months.  High speed Internet access service with speeds up to 7.1 Mbps, where available, can be added to this bundle for just $10 more per month.

Double-play bundles range in price from $49.99 to $79.99 and offer unlimited local and nationwide long-distance phone service plus Verizon High Speed Internet service featuring speeds ranging from up to 1 Mbps to 7.1 Mbps.  Double-play bundles featuring unlimited local and nationwide long-distance phone service plus DIRECTV service range from $64.99 to $104.99 per month.  Additional services and upgrades are also offered with these bundles.

Residential customers interested in Verizon's new bundles can call 1-800-483-4000 or visit www.verizon.com/bundles.

Bundles Offer Greatest Monthly Savings; Broadband Helps Combat Higher Cost of Living

At a time when many households are keeping a close watch on spending in response to steeper prices for gasoline, food, health care and other daily essentials, Verizon is making it quicker and easier for consumers to economize by shopping and working online via broadband.

A May report from eMarketer, a publisher of Internet market research, states that U.S. retail e-commerce sales will increase 14.3 percent from 2007 to 2008, as consumers look to save money and find bargains.

Although nearly 60 percent of U.S. households subscribed to broadband service last year, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, there are still significant numbers of dial-up Internet access users who are not taking advantage of the low cost and high-performance efficiencies a broadband connection provides.  The Pew Internet and American Life's report on broadband adoption in America, issued in July, found that of dial-up users 35 percent say the price of broadband service would have to fall before they would convert.

"The Pew findings suggest that some consumers are not looking deeply enough at the advantages of both broadband and bundles," said Retta.  "Our new bundles offer the best value in the market for an essential communication tool in today's technology-driven society.  Used effectively, the cost of the service can pay for itself on a monthly basis, and there has never been a better time to move up to broadband or to move over to Verizon."

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 nearly 71 million customers nationwide.  Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 228,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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