Verizon Launches Fiber-Optic Projects In Ashburn, Hartwood Exchanges

RICHMOND, Va. --Verizon Communications will spend nearly $300,000 over the next several months to upgrade its telecommunications network in

the Ashburn and Hartwood exchanges.

The Ashburn exchange serves a portion of Loudoun County, and Hartwood serves parts of Stafford and Fauquier counties.

"We have a state-of-the-art telecommunications network in Virginia, and we're committed to making it even better," said Robert Woltz, president of

Verizon Virginia. "The fiber optics we'll be deploying in the months ahead will further strengthen our network infrastructure, providing the high-speed

pathways that data-intensive businesses want and need."

The first project involves the installation of nearly two miles of fiber-optic cable on Longwood Drive, between Routes 644 and 610, to serve the Windsor Forest

subdivision. The work will be completed in March at an estimated cost of $140,000.

The second project, in the Ashburn exchange, involves running nearly four miles of fiber-optic cable along Route 659 to serve the following residential

developments: Forest Manor, Forest Ridge and Park at Belle Terra. The job will be finished in April at a cost of $158,000.

These network modernization projects will increase Verizon's ability to offer high-speed data services. They also will provide additional reliability and

survivability in the company's network. Fiber-optic systems use hair-thin glass fibers and digital technology to deliver high-quality telephone service, along with

high-capacity, high-speed voice and data transmission services.

Woltz said Verizon has made major strides in deploying advanced technology in its Virginia network:

• Verizon has some one million miles of fiber optics in Virginia and more is going in each month.

• Verizon's construction expenditures for 2000 will exceed $800 million, with most of the funds earmarked for technology deployment.

• More than 99 percent of Verizon's switching centers are digital, providing increased reliability and quality.

• Verizon Online DSL (digital subscriber line) service is available in many parts of Hampton Roads, Richmond and Northern Virginia. DSL is a high-speed

  connection to the Internet that enables users to connect to cyberspace at speeds much faster than today's fastest analog modems.

In addition to deploying the latest technology in Virginia, Verizon is spending tens of millions of dollars to open its local telephone market to competition.

"We have irreversibly opened our markets to competition," Woltz said. "Over 100 companies have been certified by the state to compete

against us, and we've helped pave the way for their entry."

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE, 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 more than 101 million access line equivalents and

more than 26 million wireless customers. A Fortune 10 company with more than 260,000 employees and approximately $60 billion in 1999 revenues, Verizon's

global presence extends to 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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