Verizon Helped Grow Rhode Island Economy in 2014 With $71 Million Wireline Investment

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Rhode Island consumers, businesses and government agencies continued to benefit from Verizon’s 2014 investment of more than $71 million in its industry-leading fiber-optic and wireline networks.

In addition, Verizon Wireless invested $378 million across New England in 2014, which included enhancing coverage and capacity across Rhode Island.

In the past five years, Verizon has invested more than $462 million in its wireline network in Rhode Island. Verizon Wireless has invested more than $4 billion in its network throughout New England since the company’s inception in 2000

“As the Ocean State’s communications, broadband and video needs grow more sophisticated each day, Verizon’s strong networks and assets are uniquely positioned to meet those needs and enable future growth,” said Allison Cole, region president for consumer and mass business. “Our network technology enables commerce to thrive, businesses to open new markets, students to attain knowledge from anywhere, and all of us to connect to what matters most.”

The advantages of an all-fiber network to the Rhode Island small-business community are demonstrated in videos featuring two Verizon customers -- Brewed Awakenings and Secure Future Tech Solutions.

Another example of the advantages of Verizon’s all-fiber network is a continued partnership with business accelerator Founders League, whose members received FiOS Internet service and mentoring from Verizon executives.

“In 2014 in Rhode Island, Verizon continued to grow its state-of-the-art fiber-optic network to more homes and businesses, modernize its world-class call centers, upgrade its fleet, and enhance training for its 8,000 highly skilled employees,” said Cole.

Fiber-optic networks strengthen communities, and last year Verizon continued deployment of its 100 percent fiber-optic network, with its FiOS TV and FiOS Internet services. At year’s end, FiOS services were available to almost half a million Rhode Island homes and businesses. Verizon has placed more than 6,000 miles of fiber optics in Rhode Island – enough to stretch to the state borders from north to south 126 times (or stretch from Providence to London and back).

Verizon’s major wireline infrastructure programs in 2014 included:

The Fastest, Most Reliable Internet Service Got Even Better in 2014

  • Significantly raising the bandwidth bar with FiOS Quantum Internet.
    • SpeedMatch, offering upload speeds that match download speeds at no additional cost was one way Verizon said thank you to many of its FiOS customers. FiOS Quantum Internet upload speeds rival or exceed most download speeds offered by competitors. The ultrafast speed delivers technology that gives people the best way to upload photos and videos, send or back up files, conduct video chats and use multiple Internet devices simultaneously, among other bandwidth-intensive applications.
    • FiOS Quantum Gateway Router, which provides small businesses and consumers the fastest Wi-Fi available from any provider, with guest Wi-Fi and enhanced parental controls.

No More DVR Battles, and TV Went Everywhere

  • FiOS Quantum TV gives customers more choices and control than ever before, including the ability to record up to 12 shows at once; pause and rewind live TV on any TV in the home; and store up to 200 hours of HD programs.
  • The FiOS Mobile App offers 168 in-home channels, 88 out-of-home channels and 70,000 on-demand content features over select broadband-connected tablets or smartphones.
  • FiOS TV Everywhere offers 89 channels over a broadband-connected PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone.
  • FiOS TV’s advanced, interactive search and navigation was upgraded to make it even easier for customers to find and enjoy what they want to watch.
  • FiOS TV features the most video on demand, with 100,000-plus FiOS On Demand video titles to rent or own, plus premium on-demand content packages with sports, movie and international programming.

Bundles and More

Investing in Superior Customer Experiences

  • Verizon has improved phone service reliability for more than 800,000 customers by moving their service from copper to the company’s advanced, all-fiber infrastructure. Fiber is less susceptible than copper to moisture and water damage and offers a better overall service experience. Nationwide, Verizon now serves more landline customers on its all-fiber infrastructure than on its legacy copper network.
  • The company has launched a number of customer-experience management tools to provide an even better experience for its residential and small-business customers, ranging from a tech notification tool, which keeps customers updated on when a Verizon installation technician will arrive prior to their appointment; to mobile coach, which enables supervisors to work with reps in real time to better serve customers. These tools were developed with direct input from employees who use them daily.
  • Customers can take advantage of Verizon’s In-Home Agent application for automated self-service.

Thank You for Making Us No. 1 (Again)

Customers ranked Verizon Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Very Small Business Wireline Service in the J.D. Power “J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Business Wireline Satisfaction Study.” And, for the second straight year, FiOS Internet was rated No. 1 in the 2014 American Customer Satisfaction Index. In addition, customers made Verizon FiOS Internet the recipient of PC Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for the ninth consecutive year.

Enterprise Business Solutions Tailored to Meet Client Needs

Verizon Enterprise Solutions oversees all of Verizon’s solutions for large-business, wholesale and government customers in Rhode Island and globally, including a portfolio of cloud and IT, enterprise mobility, security and advanced communications offerings. Its key client segments include healthcare, manufacturing and automotive, financial services and large government agencies. In 2014, Verizon:

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