Verizon Introduces New Bundles of Top-Quality Home Services for Illinois Consumers

BLOOMINGTON, Ill - Verizon has introduced a winning array of new calling packages that are designed to beat any of cable's offerings for quality, value and network reliability.   Verizon's Illinois customers can now choose from new packages that offer two, three, or now four services - including wireless calling from Verizon Wireless - with each package offered at one monthly rate.

Phil Wood, Verizon's vice president of public affairs in Illinois, said, "These newest bundles represent a sweetheart of a deal, which is fitting since Valentine's Day is tomorrow.  The bundles offer consumers exceptional voice, Internet, TV and wireless service, significant savings, and the security of knowing that it's all backed by Verizon's amazing network and incredible customer service.

"Customers will look for the greatest quality at the fairest price for their telecommunications needs, which gives Verizon a major edge over cable, he said."

Verizon has begun a new advertising campaign that touts the reliability of its network, driving home the fact that Verizon completes 1.2 billion calls on an average business day with 99.99 percent success.

Verizon will be using its premium network to offer one-price bundles in all of its service areas in Illinois.  The new plans -- called Verizon Double Freedom, Verizon Triple Freedom and Verizon Ultimate Freedom -- let customers mix and match home services and, for the first time, include wireless service from Verizon Wireless.

"Our new plans crack the code on simplicity and value," said Bob Ingalls, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon's Telecom Group. "With these new packages, we lead the market on choice, value and quality. Customers can get calling and high-speed Internet service on the Verizon network, known for its 99.99 percent record of reliability.  With all-digital DIRECTV, already the choice of half a million Verizon customers, new subscribers get top-notch picture quality and entertainment choices.

"By adding Verizon Wireless, consumers can have the convenience of all their services on a single bill and trigger great savings, too.  Our new packages are the most complete offers in the market," he said.

Verizon already has been testing bundled services in Florida and Texas that include calling plans from Verizon Wireless.

"We think customers know that our services, our network and our support personnel are the best in the market, and we've simplified our offers to make the choice easy," Ingalls said.

With Verizon Double Freedom, customers can choose from three combinations of services: Verizon's most popular unlimited calling plan known as Verizon Freedom Essentials coupled with Verizon high-speed Internet service (DSL up to 3 megabits per second), with DIRECTV® service billed through Verizon, or with an existing Verizon Wireless plan.  Verizon Wireless customers must participate in Verizon's no-cost ONE-BILL® program, which combines wireline and wireless charges on a single bill.  Each two-service combination is priced from $64.99 to $74.99 a month, depending on the service area and the combination of services purchased. Discounts, which will appear as cumulative savings printed directly on customer bills, range from $7.99 to $14.99 a month for Double Freedom, depending on the market and the combination of services purchased.

Verizon Triple Freedom links a combination of the Freedom Essentials calling plan and Verizon high-speed Internet (DSL up to 3 megabits per second) with either an existing Verizon Wireless calling plan or DIRECTV service.  Verizon Triple Freedom is priced from $94.99 to $104.99 a month, and savings range from $17.98 to $27.98 per month.

Verizon Ultimate Freedom combines all four services at prices from $134.99 to $144.99 a month with savings of up to $27.97 a month.

Customers who choose one of the new plans can migrate to any of the other new plans during the 12-month savings period with no penalty. However, the customer's savings will vary depending on the new plan selected.

The wireless offer calculated in the bundle pricing and savings is the popular Verizon Wireless America's Choice® calling plan at $39.99 for monthly access, which includes 450 monthly anytime minutes along with unlimited night and weekend minutes, and unlimited calling with any other Verizon Wireless customer.  The DIRECTV offer cited is the Total Choice® package at $44.99 a month, which includes more than 155 all-digital TV channels and 50 music channels of XM Satellite Radio.

The plans are available now throughout Verizon's serving area in Illinois.

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 59 million customers nationwide.  Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which operates one of the most expansive wholly owned global IP networks, and Verizon Telecom, which is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of approximately 242,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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