Verizon's Industry-Leading FiOS Services Now Available To Nearly 800,000 Floridians

TAMPA, Fla. - Nearly 800,000 homes and businesses in six West Central Florida counties now can choose unmatched broadband speeds and some much-desired competition for their pay-TV services, via Verizon's transformational, reliable all-fiber-optic network.

Verizon currently offers FiOS Internet and FiOS TV services in dozens of communities in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota counties, and the company continues to upgrade its network to all fiber in these areas.  [NOTE: See end of release for a list of communities where FiOS TV and FiOS Internet services currently are available.]

"We started our fiber network deployment project in 2004 with a promise to provide next-generation technology and a superior competitive choice to Tampa Bay area residents," said Michelle A. Robinson, Verizon's regional president for the Southeast region.  "Our FiOS Internet and TV services have been an extraordinary hit with consumers in Florida, and more residents are joining the FiOS family each day.

"Verizon is winning customers by providing the best, most reliable network available at a competitive price for voice, data and video services - all backed by the best employees in the business and a name consumers can trust," said Robinson.

Companies that install all-fiber networks gain other advantages in addition to new and superior services for customers.  For example, fiber offers reliable service in stretches of wet weather that can affect copper-based networks. 

"This new network will have greater reliability and lower maintenance costs," said Robinson.

Tampa Bay area residents who are FiOS TV-eligible can trim their monthly bills by bundling FiOS TV service, FiOS Internet service and the Verizon Freedom Essentials unlimited calling plan, all for $99.99 a month with a one-year commitment.  They also can add a Verizon Wireless calling plan for a Grand Slam of communications and entertainment services.

Small and medium-sized businesses now also can combine unparalleled broadband FiOS Internet speeds with FiOS TV and Verizon's always-reliable voice service.

FiOS TV Service Highlights

FiOS TV service highlights include:

• More than 400 all-digital channels grouped by genres such as entertainment, sports, news, shopping, movies and family, making it easy for audiences to find their favorite programming.

• A total of 31 high-definition channels in the Tampa Bay market, with extraordinary clarity and theater-quality sound.  The company will add approximately 25 more HD channels in the near future, and plans to expand its lineup to offer all available major HD programming by year-end. 
• An industry-leading library of more than 10,000 video-on-demand (VOD) titles each month, 70 percent of which are free.  In addition, an increasing number of on-demand titles in high-definition, with 1,000 HD VOD title per month by the end of the year.
• An easy-to-use interactive media guide that integrates HD programming, on-demand content and the digital video recorder along with broadcast television into a seamless user experience.
• Set-top boxes ranging from a standard-definition box for $5.99 per month to the Home Media DVR, featuring a multi-room DVR that enables up to three simultaneous viewings of recorded programs without requiring customers to set up a complex home network or buy extra equipment.  The recorder is bundled with Media Manager, a new feature that lets customers easily access photos and music from their personal computer and play them on their entertainment center where they look and sound the best.  A standard definition Home Media DVR is $17.99 per month.
• FiOS TV Widgets, a free interactive feature that provides local weather and traffic information.

Programming choices for Hispanic, African-American, Asian, Russian and other multicultural audiences are available in every market, making FiOS TV an outlet for emerging and independent networks to showcase their diverse programming.

Sports fans subscribing to FiOS TV Premier in the Tampa Bay market will also receive a host of sports channels - including Florida Sports Network, several ESPN channels and the NFL Network - at no extra charge. 

FiOS TV is delivered over Verizon's all-fiber-optic network, which brings the power and capacity of fiber optics directly into people's homes and has industry-leading quality and reliability.

To date, Verizon has placed more than 55 million feet of fiber in its Florida service territory.  

Fiber delivers amazingly sharp pictures and sound, and has the capacity to transmit a wide array of high-definition programming that is so clear and intense it seems to leap from the TV screen.  It also delivers Internet download speeds of up to 50 Mbps* (megabits per second) and upload speeds of up to 20 Mbps, as well as high-quality voice services.

FiOS Internet Highlights

Verizon's 50/20 FiOS Internet connection is the fastest available to U.S. consumers, and the company's 20/20 symmetrical service is the first of its kind commercially available to U.S. consumers on a mass scale.  Pioneering a new category of broadband for the American consumer, Verizon's symmetrical FiOS provides the ultra-fast, two-way speeds crucial for such burgeoning online activities as video conferencing, social networking and super-fast uploading of electronic photo albums or home videos, as well as multi-player gaming and online work collaboration.

At 50 Mbps, downloading a 5 GB (gigabyte) file, such as 112-minute, high-definition movie purchased online, takes approximately 13.3 minutes, while a 50 MB (megabyte) or 60-minute Web video takes 8 seconds, and a 5 MB MP3 music file takes less than eight-tenths of a second.

Using a 20 Mbps upstream broadband connection, a consumer could upload a 250 megabyte (MB) file of 200 photos in about 90 seconds, instead of the roughly 47 minutes it takes over a 768 kilobit-per-second (Kbps) upstream connection.  A 500 MB file, such as 400 digital photos or a medical imaging data file, could upload in less than four minutes, compared with about 90 minutes over a 768 Kbps connection.  A 3 gigabyte (GB) file, such as a one-hour family video shot with a high-definition video camera, can be uploaded in around 20 minutes, compared with more than nine hours with 768 Kbps upstream.

FiOS Internet 50/20 Mbps service is available for $139.95 a month with an annual service plan.  The 20/20 Mbps FiOS Internet service is available for $64.99 a month with an annual service plan   FiOS Internet service is also available as part of a discounted bundle of multiple Verizon services. 

Tampa Bay area consumers can check online at www.verizon.com/fios for more information or to request that Verizon contact them when FiOS services become available.  Customers also can call their local Verizon sales office or 888-GET FiOS (888-438-3467).

In addition to Florida, Verizon currently provides FiOS TV in parts of California, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia. 

At the end of the first quarter 2008, 1.8 million Verizon customers received their broadband service over Verizon's all-fiber network, and more than 1.2 million customers had subscribed to FiOS TV.

* NOTE: actual (throughput) speeds will vary based on factors including computer configuration and network/Internet congestion.

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 67 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 employed a diverse workforce of approximately 232,000 as of the end of the first quarter 2008 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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FiOS TV and FiOS Internet services currently are available in parts of the following Tampa Bay area communities:

Hillsborough County
Apollo Beach, Beach Park, Bell Shoals, Brandon, Carrollwood, Fishhawk Ranch, Hyde Park, Keystone, Lutz, New Tampa, Odessa, Oldsmar, Palma Ceia, Plant City, Riverview, Ruskin, Seffner, Seminole, Sulphur Springs, Sun City Center, Tampa, Temple Terrace, Town and Country, Unincorporated Hillsborough County, Universal Park, Valrico, West Tampa, Westchase, Wimauma, Zephyrhills

Manatee County
Bradenton, Cortez, Ellenton, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat Key, Palma Sola, Palmetto, Unincorporated Manatee County

Pasco County
Holiday, Hudson, Land O' Lakes, Moon Lake, New Port Richey, Port Richey, Spring Hill, Unincorporated Pasco County, Wesley Chapel

Pinellas County
Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, Countryside, Crystal Beach, Dunedin, North Gulf Beach, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Park, Safety Harbor, St. George, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Unincorporated Pinellas County

Polk County
Cypress Gardens, Haines City, Highlands, Kissimmee, Lake Wales, Lakeland, Loughman, Poinciana, Winter Haven

Sarasota County
Englewood, Lido Key/St. Armands, Longboat Key, Nokomis, North Port, Osprey, Palmer Ranch, Sarasota, Siesta Key, Unincorporated Sarasota County, Venice