Verizon Online Offers Broadband Toolbar for Small-Business Customers

NEW YORK - Verizon Online has further enhanced the Verizon Business Center portal by adding a robust toolbar, designed specifically for small-business broadband customers. The new toolbar provides quick and easy access to a variety of online business content, search functions and important resources.

The Verizon Broadband Toolbar for Businesses is a free application and takes only seconds to download at http://business.verizon.net/toolbar. The toolbar's easy-to-use layout features tabs with drop-down menus so business users can quickly search the Web; get news from a variety of sources, including articles from the Wall Street Journal; get driving directions; and retrieve stock, company or weather information.  Especially designed for small businesses, the toolbar also gives users fast access directly to the tools businesses use, like the Web sites of SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" and the U.S. Small Business Administration, e-learning courses from the Verizon Business Center, and local business directory and maps. Additional tabs speed access to Verizon's e-mail service and special promotional offers from Verizon and Verizon Wireless.  The Verizon Broadband Toolbar for Businesses also comes with a pop-up blocker.

"There weren't many toolbars for business-minded people, so we developed one especially for our small-business customers," said Bill Heilig, executive director of ISP portal and platform services for Verizon. "Once it's downloaded to business owners' desktops, relevant resources are just a click away."

Verizon also recently added Google's search engine to the Verizon Business Center portal (http://business.verizon.net).  Google has received numerous industry awards for several years in a row and recently was named one of Time magazine's 25 Sites We Can't Live Without.  Web search from the Verizon Broadband Toolbar for Businesses are also powered by Google.

The Verizon Broadband Toolbar for Businesses can be used with another toolbar or in place of an existing one, and the toolbar is compatible with almost all Microsoft operating systems and Internet Explorer version 5.0 or greater.

Verizon offers a variety of products and services that allow small businesses to customize the solutions they need to better compete in the marketplace. In addition to broadband Internet access, solutions include online backup storage, e-mail encryption and communications management tools.

Verizon offers one of the most robust portfolios of products and services to small businesses. For broadband access, voice services and video -- in select markets -- Verizon also offers a "triple-play" bundle of unlimited calling, Verizon High Speed Internet for Business and DIRECTV service to qualifying small businesses, starting at around $100 per month (plus applicable taxes and fees).

For more information on Verizon's products and services for small businesses visit http://business.verizon.net or call 888-649-9500.

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 more than 59 million customers nationwide.  Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which operates one of the most expansive wholly owned global IP networks, and Verizon Telecom, which is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of approximately 242,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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