Verizon Dramatically Raises Broadband Upload Speeds in Maryland with Two New Ultra-Fast FiOS Internet Services

BALTIMORE - Verizon continues changing the definition of "fast" for Maryland broadband users by introducing a new, symmetrical Verizon FiOS Internet service for consumers, featuring upstream and downstream connection speeds of up to 15 megabits per second (Mbps).

The company also has introduced a new, fastest-speed FiOS Internet service that offers a downstream connection speed of up to 30 Mbps and a new upstream connection speed of up to 15 Mbps.  

These groundbreaking new offerings - delivered straight to customers' homes on the nation's most-advanced, all-digital, all-fiber-optic network - are the first of their kind commercially available to consumers on a mass scale.

"Our FiOS Internet customers in Maryland no longer have to settle for cable upload speeds that can't deliver the most interactive online experiences," said William R. Roberts, president of Verizon Maryland.  "With FiOS, you can choose ultra-fast uploading that makes sending information as quick and easy as receiving it.  This is just another example of the power that Verizon delivers with fiber-optics straight into customers' homes." 

Using a 15 Mbps upstream connection, a consumer could upload a 250 megabyte (MB) file of 200 photos in just over two minutes, compared with about 47 minutes over a 768 kilobits per second (kbps) upstream connection.  A 500 MB file, such as 400 digital photos or a medical imaging data set, could upload in less than five minutes, compared with about 90 minutes over a 768 kbps connection.  A three gigabyte (GB) file, such as a one-hour family video shot with a high-definition video camera, can be uploaded in about 27 minutes, compared with more than nine hours with 768 kbps upstream.

The equally fast upstream and downstream connection speeds of the new symmetrical FiOS service also enhance interactive services like video conferencing, online multi-player gaming, telemedicine, electronic home monitoring, online work collaboration and more. 

The new symmetrical FiOS Internet service is available for as low as $64.99 a month with an annual service plan.  Since consumers with ever-growing collections of photos, music, video and other data want to quickly and easily store and protect their files, the symmetrical FiOS services include a comprehensive Internet security suite plus one GB of network-based backup at no additional charge.   Customers who subscribe to the new Internet service can upgrade their backup to as much as 50 GB at competitive rates.  

The new, fastest FiOS Internet service with a downstream connection speed of up to 30 Mbps and an upstream connection speed of up to 15 Mbps is available for as low as $139.95 a month in an annual plan.  This represents a $40 a month price decrease from the previous highest-speed FiOS service.

Existing FiOS customers can call Verizon to subscribe to the new service offerings.  New customers can find more information on pricing and availability by calling 1-888-GET-FiOS (1-888-438-3467) or visiting www.verizon.com/fios.

FiOS Internet service is available in parts of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland.

Consumers give Verizon FiOS Internet top ratings for overall satisfaction and value.  Readers of PC World and Computerworld magazines have recently ranked FiOS Internet No. 1, with top scores across the board in overall satisfaction, connection reliability, download and upload speeds, customer service and technical support.

FiOS Internet was named to the top five of PC World Magazine's 100 Best Products of 2007 - a roster of what the magazine called "the finest products and services of the past 12 months," selected "based on exemplary design, features, performance and innovation."  

Additionally, 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 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 63.7 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 has a diverse workforce of nearly 238,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

####