Verizon Brings Blazing-Fast Computer Connections to Growing Number of Bandwidth-Hungry Texans

IRVING, Texas - A growing number of Verizon customers in parts of Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Collin County are now experiencing extremely high-speed Internet access as the company continues to expand the availability of its Verizon FiOS^sm(FYE'-ose) Internet Service to homes in North Texas.

By the end of the year, FiOS will be available in more than 20 North Texas cities. The vast majority of Verizon local phone customers in Grapevine, Fort Worth, Keller, Rowlett, Sachse, Southlake, Westlake and Wylie can already experience the FiOS difference. Fiber deployment projects are under way in Allen, Carrollton, Colleyville, Coppell, Flower Mound, Garland, Highland Village, Irving, Lewisville, Lucas, Murphy, Parker and Plano, and some customers in these cities can already order FiOS. Additional towns will be added in the future.

Verizon is delivering FiOS services over its new fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network, which it is currently building in North Texas and 13 other states. Locally, Verizon just began one of its largest local fiber deployment projects in Garland. This year, Verizon will deploy more than 1 million feet of fiber in Garland, with construction continuing in 2006.

In Plano, the company's largest Texas market, Verizon is placing nearly 4 million feet of fiber. More than 1 million feet of fiber will be installed this year in Lewisville, and about 2 million feet will be deployed by the end of the year in Carrollton. Much of the fiber deployment in North Texas will continue for several years.

To help build its ultra-fast network, Verizon will hire between 3,000 and 5,000 new employees nationally by the end of this year. In North Texas, Verizon has added more than 615 full-time positions over the past year involving fiber splicing, installation and repair and engineering. Verizon also has retained more than 700 contractors to work on various aspects of the local FTTP project such as underground boring, trenching and fiber splicing.

Customers Respond Favorably to New Fiber-Based Broadband Service

Verizon launched the industry's premier consumer broadband service in Keller and parts of several adjoining cities last summer, sparking very favorable responses from customers.

"We're focused on providing the best overall value in broadband," said Steve Banta, Verizon Southwest region president. "FiOS has quickly grown in popularity for people who want to boost productivity and gain a competitive edge with even faster Internet connections."

Verizon is offering three tiers of fiber-based service with downstream (download) speeds of up to 5, 15 and 30 Mbps (megabits per second).*

The company will announce FiOS Internet service in areas as it becomes available. Customers who want to determine whether they can order FiOS Internet service can call 1-888-GET FIOS (1-888-438-3467) or visit Verizon's FiOS Web site at www.verizon.net/fios.

FTTP technology utilizes hair-thin strands of fiber and optical electronics -- instead of copper wire -- to directly link homes and businesses to Verizon's network, enabling a broad array of voice, data and video applications. In addition to its current FiOS Internet Service, Verizon plans to launch FiOS TV during the second half of the year in selected markets where it has secured cable franchise agreements from local authorities.

"FiOS is setting the new standard for consumer broadband services in America," said Banta. "Our customers who already subscribe to FiOS services are pleased with the service and customer support provided and thrilled at what they now can do with their online experience. Video chats and conferencing, purchased digital movie downloads and interactive multi-player games have become a part of their daily lives."

Banta added that Verizon is using the most advanced technology to deliver downstream and upstream speeds that will give customers truly interactive, two-way broadband capabilities.

"The Internet is an increasingly interactive place where quickly sending information is just as important as quickly receiving it," he said. "From uploading multi-megabyte e-mails with photo attachments, to interacting with the office from home, FiOS gives customers unprecedented speed, efficiency and productivity at very competitive prices."

Three Tiers of FiOS Service Offer Customers Value and Choice

Each FiOS service for consumers is available either as part of a bundle of local and long-distance calling services from Verizon or as a stand-alone Internet access service:

• 5 Mbps downstream and 2 Mbps upstream. Suited for Internet surfing and basic computer functions. $34.95 a month as part of a calling package, or $39.95 a month stand-alone.

• 15 Mbps downstream and 2 Mbps upstream. Appealing to families that have multiple computers and various needs such as media downloads and the ability to access or share large files. $44.95 a month as part of a calling package, or $49.95 a month stand-alone.

• 30 Mbps downstream and 5 Mbps upstream. Designed for communications-intensive power users with significant bandwidth needs, such as telecommuters or work-at-home households and avid online gamers. $179.95 a month as part of a calling package, or $199.95 a month stand-alone.

Each consumer data offer includes the suite of services currently available to Verizon Online DSL customers at no additional charge, including: MSN Premium content; Verizon's Broadband Beat entertainment portal optimized for high-speed access featuring news, games, streaming video and more; up to nine e-mail accounts with 30 megabytes (MB) of storage for the primary account and an additional 10 MB for each sub-account; address book and calendar; 10 MB personal Web space and a Web-site building tool; and access to newsgroups.

*NOTE: Actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

With more than $71 billion in annual revenues, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon has a diverse work force of more than 210,000 in four business units: Domestic Telecom serves customers based in 29 states with wireline telecommunications services, including broadband and other services. Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 43.8 million voice and data customers across the United States. Information Services operates directory publishing businesses and provides electronic commerce services. International includes wireline and wireless operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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