PLANO, TEXAS -Verizon Information Services-formed by the merger between GTE and Bell Atlantic-announced the nationwide rollout of the Internet Learning Day program. The newly expanded program, which offers free Internet education, will kick off on Saturday, August 26, at the Plano CompUSA Superstore.
Since 1997, the Internet Learning Day program has helped more than 3,500 Internet novices navigate the World Wide Web with free one-hour, instructor-led training sessions. The Plano event is the 18th in this ongoing education series, which began in the former Bell Atlantic Yellow Pages territory.
"As organizations continue to develop eCommerce/Internet-based options for consumers, Verizon Information Services is taking a strong leadership role in positioning its customers for the new economy," said Kathy Harless, president, Verizon Information Services. "The Internet Learning Day program is a springboard for launching consumers and small- and medium-sized businesses into the e-marketplace."
The Plano event complements the distribution of the 2000-2001 Plano Verizon Yellow Pages, one of the first directories to feature the newly branded Verizon cover. The Internet Learning Day also supports Verizon Superpages.com, the Internet's leading online directory and shopping resource.
Saturday's Internet Learning Day-expected to attract 150 participants-is co-sponsored by The Plano-Star Courier. Community organizations such as the Volunteer Center of Collin County, the Plano Public Library System and the Dallas County Community Action Center are supporting the event by promoting attendance to their members.
The Internet Learning Day consists of hour-long sessions that introduce how the Web works, frequently used vocabulary and community-focused Web sites. Each class participant uses a computer to gain hands-on experience surfing the Web. The classes are led by Verizon Internet Services instructors and volunteer trainers.
Participants receive information on places they can access the Internet for free and ways to acquire a personal computer at a reduced cost. Each participant also receives a free copy of the Internet Learning Disc (ILDisc). The ILDisc is an educational CD-ROM, developed by Verizon Information Services, to help novice Internet users navigate the World Wide Web. At the end of the session, attendees can also register to win a free personal computer.
About Verizon Information Services
Verizon Information Services is the world's leading print and online directory publisher and a content provider for communications products and services. The largest directory publisher in the world, Verizon has annual revenues of more than $4.1 billion and employs more than 11,000 people.
Verizon Information Services provides sales, publishing and other related services for nearly 2,500 directory titles in 47 states and the District of Columbia and 18 countries outside the U.S. This includes more than 1,600 Verizon directory titles with a total circulation of approximately 112 million copies in the U.S. and 41 million copies internationally.
Verizon Information Services also produces and markets SuperPages.com, the Internet's leading online directory and shopping resource. SuperPages.com receives more than 4.2 million visits from approximately 1.8 million unique visitors per month, and is the exclusive provider of a comprehensive Yellow Pages service to AOL, Lycos, HotBot, Digital City, BigFoot and BigBook.
Based in the Dallas area, Verizon Information Services is a unit of Verizon Communications, headquartered in New York, N.Y. Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ), formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE, is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.