Verizon Brings Blazing-Fast Computer Connections to a Growing Number of Californians

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - A growing number of Verizon customers across Los Angeles and Orange counties and throughout the Inland Empire are now experiencing next-generation broadband Internet access as the company expands availability of its Verizon FiOS^sm Internet Service to homes across Southern California.

By the end of this year, FiOS (FYE'-ose) will expand to parts of Ventura County, and the service will be available to Verizon customers in 22 Southern Californian cities. The majority of customers in Huntington Beach, Murrieta, Sun City, Malibu and Beaumont can already experience the FiOS difference.

Verizon is delivering FiOS over its new fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network, which it is already constructing in California and 13 other states - 50 percent of the states where the company offers landline phone service. Fiber deployment is under way in Adelanto, Apple Valley, Bermuda Dunes, Camarillo, Chino, Desert Hot Springs, Hermosa Beach, Indio, La Quinta, Chino Hills, Ontario, Palm Springs, Perris, Lake Elsinore, Temecula, Redondo Beach and Victorville. Some customers in these cities can already order FiOS. Additional cities will be added next year, and Verizon will announce FiOS Internet Service in these areas as it becomes available.

To date, Verizon has deployed 8 million feet, or 1,500 miles, of fiber-optic cable in Southern California as part of the FTTP project. The company will deploy millions more feet of fiber in 2005.

To help build its ultra-fast network, Verizon plans to hire between 3,000 and 5,000 new employees nationally by the end of this year. In Southern California, Verizon is adding approximately 500 full-time positions to handle fiber splicing, installation, repair and engineering. The new jobs include 124 positions at a new Fiber Solutions Center in Ventura County, which handles calls from Verizon's FiOS customers. The center's staff will eventually grow to 300 positions, as FiOS-related calls increase.

Verizon also estimates it will retain more than 1,000 contractors in California to work on various aspects of the local FTTP project such as underground boring, trenching and fiber splicing.

Customers Respond Favorably to New Fiber-Based Broadband Service

Verizon launched California's premier consumer broadband service in Huntington Beach last summer, sparking very favorable responses from customers.

"We're focused on providing the best overall value in broadband," said Tim McCallion, Verizon Pacific region president. "FiOS has quickly grown in popularity for people who want to boost productivity and gain a competitive edge with even faster Internet connections."

Verizon is offering three tiers of fiber-based service with download speeds of up to 5, 15 and 30 Mbps (megabits per second).*

Customers who want to determine whether they can order FiOS Internet Service visit Verizon's FiOS Web site at www.verizon.com/fios or call 1-888-GET FIOS (1-888-438-3467).

FTTP technology utilizes hair-thin strands of fiber and optical electronics -- instead of copper wire -- to directly link homes and businesses to Verizon's network, enabling a broad array of voice, data and video applications. In addition to its current FiOS Internet Service, Verizon plans to launch FiOS TV in the second half of the year to compete directly with cable TV providers. FiOS TV will be available in markets where Verizon has negotiated cable franchise agreements with local authorities.

Three Tiers of FiOS Service Offer Customers Value and Choice

Each FiOS service is available either as part of a bundle of local and long-distance calling services from Verizon or as a stand-alone Internet access service.

There are three tiers of Verizon FiOS Internet Service for consumers:
• 5 Mbps downstream and 2 Mbps upstream. Suited for Internet surfing and basic computer functions. $34.95 a month as part of a calling package, or $39.95 a month stand-alone.

• 15 Mbps downstream and 2 Mbps upstream. Appealing to families that have multiple computers and various needs such as media downloads and the ability to access or share large files. $44.95 a month as part of a calling package, or $49.95 a month stand-alone.

• 30 Mbps downstream and 5 Mbps upstream. Designed for communications-intensive power users with significant bandwidth needs, such as telecommuters or work-at-home households and avid online gamers. $179.95 a month as part of a calling package, or $199.95 a month stand-alone.

Each consumer data offer includes the suite of services currently available to Verizon Online DSL customers at no additional charge, including: MSN Premium content; Verizon's new Broadband Beat entertainment portal optimized for high-speed access featuring news, games, streaming video and more; up to nine e-mail accounts with 30 megabytes (MB) of storage for the primary account and an additional 10 MB for each sub-account; address book and calendar; 10 MB personal Web space and a Web site building tool; and access to newsgroups.

*NOTE: Actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

Verizon Communications Inc.

With more than $71 billion in annual revenues, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon has a diverse work force of more than 210,000 in four business units: Domestic Telecom serves customers based in 29 states with wireline telecommunications services, including broadband and other services. Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 43.8 million voice and data customers across the United States. Information Services operates directory publishing businesses and provides electronic commerce services. International includes wireline and wireless operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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