Verizon Brings Super-Fast Computer Connections to Customers in Danvers, Hudson and Milford, Mass.

BOSTON, Mass. - Verizon customers in three more Massachusetts communities can experience breathtaking high-speed Internet access as the company today expanded the availability of its Verizon FiOS suite of Internet services to Danvers, Hudson and Milford.

Most residents and small businesses in these communities now can order the industry's premier mass-market broadband services.  The company is offering several tiers of service, with downstream (download) speeds of up to 10, 20 and 50 Mbps (megabits per second) and upstream (upload) speeds of up to 2, 5 and 20 Mbps.*

Residential customers who want to determine whether they can order FiOS Internet Service can call 888-GET FiOS (888-438-3467) or visit Verizon's FiOS Web site at www.verizon.com/fios.  Small businesses can call 877-FiOS BIZ (877-346-7249) or visit www.verizon.com/businessfios to determine if they qualify for FiOS Internet Service for Business. 

Danvers, Hudson and Milford town officials and Verizon currently are negotiating terms of licenses that would enable Verizon to offer its revolutionary new FiOS TV in the communities, bringing cable TV choice to their residents for the first time. FiOS TV is currently available in 79 Massachusetts communities.

Verizon offers FiOS services over its fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network, which the company currently is building in more than half of the states where it offers landline communications services. Verizon is the only major telecom company whose network has earned the certification of the independent Fiber to the Home Council for providing fiber all the way to customers' homes.

Verizon's FTTP technology utilizes fiber-optic connections - instead of copper wire - directly into homes and businesses to enable a broad array of voice, data and video applications. For the second year in a row, Verizon's FiOS Internet service was named the top pick in PC Magazine's 2008 readers' survey and also was named a winner in PC World Magazine's "The 100 Best Products of 2008," the second year in a row the broadband service made that list.

"FiOS is setting the new standard for consumer and small-business broadband services in Massachusetts," said Donna Cupelo, Verizon region president for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. "Customers who already subscribe to FiOS services are astounded 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."

For Consumers, Super-Fast Speeds at Affordable Prices

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.  There are four tiers of Verizon FiOS Internet Service for consumers:

• 10 Mbps downstream and 2 Mbps upstream - Suited for Internet surfing and basic computer functions; starting at $42.99 a month. Includes free professional installation and configuration of primary PC or laptop.

• 20 Mbps downstream and 5 Mbps upstream - Appealing for families that have multiple computers and various needs such as multi-media and accessing and sending large files; starting at $52.99 a month.  Includes free professional installation and configuration of primary PC or laptop.
• 20 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream - For those who want to upload videos, photos, music, and other large files as fast as they download; starting at $64.99 a month.  Includes free professional installation and configuration of primary PC or laptop.
• 50 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream - Designed for communications-intensive power users with significant bandwidth needs and multiple users, such as telecommuters or work-at-home households and avid online gamers; starting at $139.95 a month.  Includes free professional installation and configuration of primary PC or laptop.

Each consumer Internet offer includes a state-of-the-art, wireless broadband home router; choice of Verizon Yahoo! or Verizon MSN content and features; Verizon's Surround entertainment portal optimized for high-speed access featuring news, games, streaming video and more; virtually unlimited 2GB (gigabytes) e-mail with up to nine e-mail accounts; and 24 x 7 live technical support.

Small Businesses Can Get Big-Biz Speeds

Small-business owners can choose from three tiers of service and either a dynamic Internet protocol (IP) address or a static IP address.  Dynamic IP addresses are best suited for small businesses that do not host a Web site but still use the Internet for research or e-mail.  Static IP addresses, where a specific Internet routing code is assigned for exclusive use, are ideal for small businesses that:

• Are highly automated.

• Need to host Web or e-mail servers, or both.
• Use e-mail extensively to send large files with attachments.
• Have e-commerce capabilities.
• Have employees who telecommute.

Business customers can receive discounts by buying the service as part of a Verizon package that includes local and long-distance service. 

All business service tiers include free professional installation and 24 x 7 business-grade technical support.  Companies also receive an Internet Security Suite with Anti-Virus, Firewall and Spyware protection for their primary PC as well as 20 MB (megabytes) of Web space and unlimited remote dial-up access that keeps employees connected when they're on the road.

* NOTE: Actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

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 69 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 228,600 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

####