Verizon Customers in Florida Can Get Unlimited Direct-Dialed Local, Regional and Domestic Long-Distance Calling

TAMPA, Fla. -- Verizon customers in Florida now can take advantage of one of the best deals in home calling services -- the Veriations Freedom^sm package, a bold new offer that delivers the ultimate in simplicity.

The new package includes unlimited direct-dialed local, regional and long-distance calling plus the most popular call-management features for one low monthly price.

The Veriations Freedom package covers all direct-dialed domestic calls -- local, regional and long-distance calling -- as well as calls to Canada and U.S. territories. At no extra charge, the package includes five of Verizon's most popular call-management features: Home Voice Mail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Three-Way Calling and Speed Dialing of eight numbers. In Florida, the package costs $49.95.

The popular package is also available in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Massachusetts.

"The glory of the Veriations Freedom package is its simplicity," said Jill Wagner, vice president of consumer marketing for Verizon. "Since we first launched the Veriations Freedom package a month ago in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, we have taken tens of thousands of orders, eclipsing by a wide margin our estimate of the package's popularity.

"When Verizon launched long-distance, we promised to give customers the services they want, packaged the way they want them, and to keep things simple," she said. "Our customers want flat-rated, comprehensive packages, and the Veriations Freedom package is the answer. It's no wonder that Verizon Long Distance is now the third largest nationwide provider of long-distance service."

Verizon will aggressively market the new package and will air a television commercial on local stations where the company's regal spokesman, James Earl Jones, is shown break dancing to the pop tune "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now," delivering the message that with the plan, communication can be totally unconstrained.

According to Wagner, the new package equals rivals' packages in features and meets or beats them in value.

"For simplicity and value, we win," she said. "Our customers get a pre-assembled package at a great price from the most reliable company in the business."

"Customers love bundled services, but hate watching the clock," said Jeff Kagan, telecommunications industry analyst, about the Veriations Freedom package. "The future is not just about the simplicity of bundles, but also about buckets of minutes and unlimited minutes for a flat fee. Verizon is tapping into one of the most important trends in the industry today. It is a very competitive offering and will keep Verizon on the cutting edge."

The unlimited long-distance calling allowance, provided by Verizon Long Distance, includes direct-dialed calls to anywhere in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific. The Veriations Freedom package may be combined with certain Verizon international calling plans.

The new package will simplify customer bills. A single line item will cover all relevant package charges and call detail will not be provided, except as an option where required by state regulations.

Last year, Verizon introduced the Veriations with DSL package, which provides a discount of $15 off the normal $49.95 price for Verizon Online DSL high-speed Internet access at speeds up to 768 kilobits per second.

Verizon serves residential and business customers in a six-county area in West-Central Florida, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Manatee and Sarasota counties.

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 135.8 million access line equivalents and 32.5 million Verizon Wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. With more than $67 billion in annual revenues and 229,500 employees, Verizon's global presence extends to 33 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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