Verizon Collaborates With Developer to Create Wired World at New Loudoun County, Virginia Community

BRAMBLETON, Va. -- Residents of the new Loudoun County community of Brambleton will live in one of the country's most-wired communities, courtesy of Verizon Communications.

The planned community, located about seven miles southeast of Leesburg, will have a state-of-the-art fiber-optic network linking homes in the first phase of the development. This will give Brambleton residents access to the latest in voice, video and data services the day they move in.

The Brambleton "fiber-to-the-home" network will bring high-capacity, highly-reliable fiber-optics directly to homes, greatly enhancing customers' ability to surf the Internet, send and receive large data files, and enjoy the benefits of Information Age communication tools. Over this fiber network, Verizon will provide voice services to residents and transport for video and high-speed data services to Brambleton's video and Internet providers.

"Verizon is opening the door to limitless communications opportunities for local residents," said Philip Nutsugah, executive director for Verizon's Enhanced Community Services group. "Fiber-enabled technologies will give Brambleton access to a wide variety of services, from speedy Internet access and streaming video to digital cable services, electronic commerce and on-line gaming."

Verizon's fiber-optic connections will satisfy even the most bandwidth-thirsty Brambleton customers. Customers will be offered a full complement of local and optional services, such as Caller ID and home voice mail, and all homes will have high-speed Internet connections.

The ability of fiber-optic cable to carry huge amounts of information will allow the community to have its own internal network capable of such digital amenities as electronic community bulletin boards and chat rooms.

Services will be delivered through a passive optical network between homes and businesses. Verizon has selected Marconi plc to provide equipment that will be placed in Brambleton homes to convert optical voice, data and video signals to standard electronic signals.

"Our homebuyers want reliable, high-tech telecommunications and they want their home to be future-proof," said Bill Fox, president of the Brambleton Group, developer of Brambleton. "Brambleton is meeting these demands with its design for 21^st-century living. With an eye toward increased telecommuting, home-based business and lightning-fast Internet connections, the integration of communications in each home can increase free time so homeowners connect more with family and friends and have more leisure time for themselves."

"Verizon's goal is to offer our customers innovative solutions to their communications needs," said Mary Yarbrough, vice president of affiliate integration for Verizon. "To achieve this goal, Verizon is working with the community's developer, the Brambleton Group, to provide a unique platform that enables the futuristic services that homebuyers want and need. Verizon believes that developers are key to expanding the reach of advanced services. By collaborating with developers, we can deliver unparalleled high-tech services, attractive prices and streamlined billing."

The Brambleton project will help Verizon determine current and future needs of customers and how to meet these requirements in a cost-effective manner using fiber-optic systems. "Brambleton is a great opportunity for Verizon to test our fiber-to-the-home technology with a group of customers who will take advantage of the extraordinary benefits of fiber," said Barry Paulson, senior vice president, engineering and planning for Verizon. "And we will be offering a new level of service because all Brambleton customers will have high-speed data service capability the moment they move into their homes -- without having to order the service or wait for delivery."

Plans for Brambleton call for a mix of single-family homes, town houses and multi-family dwellings to be built in the community over the next eight to 10 years. Construction of new homes is expected to begin in early spring.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 128.5 million access line equivalents and 28.7 million wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. A Fortune 10 company with 256,000 employees and approximately $65 billion in annual revenues, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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