Verizon Business Marks Milestone in Ultra Long Haul Network Strategy

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - Verizon Business, a premier provider of advanced global communications and information technology (IT), has achieved a significant milestone in the deployment of its Ultra Long Haul (ULH) network. The company has surpassed 20,000 miles of ULH deployment on its network to give Verizon Business the largest ULH network footprint for government and large business customers in the United States.

This achievement comes in conjunction with Verizon Business' current strategy to aggressively interconnect the legacy Verizon Global Network Services ULH network and the legacy MCI ULH network. This interconnection work, scheduled for completion by the third quarter of this year, will result in a dynamic ULH network with coast-to-coast coverage in the U.S. The UHL network will also have diversity in most areas, based on equipment, routes and sites.

"When MCI joined the Verizon family just 60 days ago, the company made a commitment to our customers to provide the best network possible by continuing aggressive network deployment," said Fred Briggs, executive vice president of Verizon Business network operations and technology. "Verizon Business will continue to build on the significant progress we've already made to work to ensure our customers receive the best end-to-end global communications solutions in the industry."

The Verizon Business ULH Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) optical network has become telecommunication's next-generation transport network. As a high-capacity all-optical network infrastructure, ULH is capable of supporting OC-768 core capacity with transmission speeds up to 40 gigabits per second (Gbps) - four times faster than what has been deployed by other service providers. The current ULH system supports 40 Gbps wavelengths which are capable of delivering both 10 Gbps and 40 Gbps signals and provide optimal support for IP, MPLS, SONET, and SDH services.

The technology's rapid scalability sets the stage for Verizon Business customers to seamlessly adopt bandwidth-intensive applications and data center backup solutions. ULH technology enables rapid provisioning of wavelength services, significantly reducing the length of provision time from months to days.

With ULH's ability to automate network management systems using advanced error correction, enhanced channel capacity and improved stability, customers will be able to take advantage of end-to-end automation for better monitoring, provisioning and network management.

ULH technology also allows transmission systems to extend beyond 1,200 miles without expensive electronic regeneration equipment, thereby reducing operational costs while creating a more manageable and reliable network. With the elimination of thousands of signal regenerators, Verizon Business will be able to streamline its network infrastructure by dramatically reducing both the amount of equipment in the network and the number of physical connections between network elements.

The most recent ULH network routes include Cleveland to Chicago, Los Angeles to Dallas, Dallas to Houston, Houston to Atlanta and Atlanta to Washington D.C. During 2006, Verizon Business will continue its UHL DWDM deployment with plans to add 2,600 more miles to the ULH network infrastructure.

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), is a leading provider of advanced communications and information technology (IT) solutions to large business and government customers worldwide. Combining unsurpassed global network reach with advanced technology and professional service capabilities, Verizon Business delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world. For more information, visit www.verizonbusiness.com.

####