Verizon's All-Fiber-Optic Network Now Available to Many Residents in Archstone Apartments in Northern Virginia

ARLINGTON, Va. - Residents in 14 Northern Virginia apartment communities with a total of 5,429 units now have access to the most advanced all-fiber-optic network and FiOS fiber-optic Internet and TV services, under an agreement between Verizon and Archstone, a leading apartment building management and investment company.

"We're excited to bring these Archstone residents FiOS services from Verizon," said Eric Cevis, vice president of Verizon Enhanced Communities, which markets and sells communications and entertainment services to single- and multiple-home properties. "It matters which network is connected to your TV, computer and phone.

"With our all-fiber network, these customers are receiving the most advanced network for voice, data and TV services available in the market today - FiOS services," said Cevis.

The Archstone communities offering Verizon's FiOS services are located in Arlington, Ashburn, Fairfax, Herndon, Reston and Vienna. An additional 3,290 Archstone apartment homes in the state are expected to have the services later this year.  Archstone is also working with Verizon to bring FiOS services to more communities in Maryland, Massachusetts and New York.

Since the end of 2005, Verizon Enhanced Communities has aggressively pursued agreements with property owners to bring FiOS to their properties. To date, Verizon Enhanced Communities has entered agreements with developers and contractors for new developments under construction covering 400,000 private households and is offering FiOS to 750,000 apartment units across 16 states where the company is currently building its all-fiber network.

Archstone offers its customers an array of superior services.  Prospective residents can visit ArchstoneApartments.com to view real-time pricing and availability, select a floor plan, and complete a lease online. Current residents have all the benefits of unconditional Seal of Service Guarantees, which include flexible lease terms, 100 percent move-in satisfaction guarantee, one-day service guarantee and a relocation guarantee.

Verizon FiOS can deliver Internet access with maximum downstream connection speeds of up to 50 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds of up to 20 Mbps over the nation's most advanced digital, all-fiber-optic network.  At 50 Mbps, downloading a 1.2 GB (gigabyte), or 90-minute, standard-definition movie takes approximately 3.2 minutes. Upload speeds of up to 20 Mbps make modern video and file-sharing a snap over the nation's only large-scale fiber-optic network that extends all the way to customers' homes or small and medium-sized businesses. Using a 20 Mbps upstream broadband connection, a person could upload a 250 megabyte (MB) file or a 3,500 page document in about 90 seconds, compared with about 47 minutes over a 768 kilobits per second (kbps) upstream connection.

Verizon's fiber-optic network also delivers amazingly sharp pictures and sound with FiOS TV and has the capacity to transmit a wide array of high-definition programming so clear and intense it seems to leap from the screen. Verizon's FiOS TV service offers a broad collection of all-digital programming, with more than 400 channels and 10,000 video-on-demand titles each month, 70 percent of which are free.  The VOD library also includes an increasing number of HD titles, with plans for 1,000 HD VOD titles per month by year-end.

These Archstone communities now have FiOS services:

• Arlington - Archstone Columbia Crossing on Columbia Pike; Ballston Place on North Pollard Street; Arlington Courthouse Place on North Veitch Street; Arlington Courthouse Plaza on Clarendon Boulevard; Gallery at Rosslyn on North Oak Street; Gallery at Virginia Square on North Nelson Street; 2201 Wilson Boulevard on Wilson Boulevard; and Archstone Ballston Square on North Randolph Street.
   
• Reston - Archstone Charter Oak on Charter Oak Court, and Archstone Reston Landing on Cameron Pond Drive.
   
• Ashburn - Archstone Stoneridge on Broad Vista Trail.
   
• Fairfax - Archstone Monument Park on Oakdale Crescent Court.
   
• Herndon - Archstone Woodland Park on Glen Echo Road.
   
• Vienna - Archstone Tysons Corner on Gosnell Road

Archstone's desire for FiOS services in its communities reflects the competitive advantage Verizon's all-fiber network offers owners and developers in marketing their properties.  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 Enhanced Communities received the Cornerstone Award from Broadband Properties Magazine acknowledging the organization for outfitting a 300-unit, eight-building JPI residential community with Verizon's FiOS all-fiber-optic network services in just 14 days.  For more information about the products and services available through Verizon Enhanced Communities, visit www.verizon.com/communities.

For more information on Archstone, visit www.archstoneapartments.com.

About Archstone 
Archstone is a recognized leader in apartment investment and operations. The company's portfolio is concentrated in many of the most desirable neighborhoods in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the Los Angeles area, the San Diego area, the San Francisco Bay Area, the New York metropolitan area, Seattle and Boston. The company continually upgrades the quality of its portfolio through the selective sale of assets, using proceeds to fund investments in assets with even better growth prospects. Archstone strives to provide great apartments and great service to its customers-backed by unconditional service guarantees. As of December 31, 2007, the company owned or had an ownership position in 416 communities, representing 86,389 units, including units under construction.

About Verizon
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 nearly 69 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 employs a diverse workforce of more than 228,600 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

####