Verizon Launches $1 Million Fiber-Optic Deployment on Peninsula

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Verizon Communications will spend nearly $1 million over the next few months to upgrade its telecommunications network on the Peninsula.

"We have a state-of-the-art telecommunications network in Virginia, and we're committed to making it even better," said Robert Woltz, president of Verizon Virginia. "The fiber optics we'll be deploying in the months ahead will further strengthen our network infrastructure, providing the high-speed communications that data-intensive businesses need."

The first of the projects, which Verizon will complete by the end of this year, involves the installation of eight miles of fiber-optic cable between Verizon's Harpersville Road and Jefferson Avenue call-switching centers. The cable contains 144 glass fibers, each of which is capable of carrying tens of thousands of telephone conversations at the same time. Total cost of the job is $212,500.

Verizon will complete two other fiber-optic projects on the Peninsula early next year at a total cost of $434,00. One involves placement of fiber-optic cable between the Aberdeen Road and Drummonds Corner (Poquoson) switching centers, a distance of five-and-a-half miles. Another fiber-optic cable will extend just over six miles, from the Aberdeen Road to the Huntington Avenue switching center. Both projects are slated to be finished by the end of March.

A fourth section of fiber-optic cable will connect the Drummonds Corner and Woodland Road switching centers, a distance of nine-and-a-half miles. Completion is scheduled for August at a total cost of $230,000.

These network modernization projects will increase Verizon's ability to offer high-speed data services. They also will provide additional reliability and survivability in the company's network. Fiber-optic systems use hair-thin glass fibers and digital technology to deliver high-quality telephone service, along with high-capacity, high-speed voice and data transmission services.

Woltz said Verizon has made major strides in deploying advanced technology in its Virginia network:

• Verizon has some one million miles of fiber optics in Virginia and more is going in each month.
• Verizon's construction expenditures for 2000 will exceed $800 million, with most of the funds earmarked for technology deployment.
• More than 99 percent of Verizon's switching centers are digital, providing increased reliability and quality.
• Verizon Online DSL (digital subscriber line) service is available in many parts of Hampton Roads, Richmond and Northern Virginia. DSL is a high-speed connection to the Internet that enables users to connect to cyberspace at speeds much faster than today's fastest analog modems.

In addition to deploying the latest technology in Virginia, Verizon is spending tens of millions of dollars to open its local telephone market to competition.

"We have irreversibly opened our markets to competition," Woltz said. "Over 100 companies have been certified by the state to compete against us, and we've helped pave the way for their entry."

Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE, is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with more than 101 million access line equivalents and more than 26 million wireless customers. A Fortune 10 company with more than 260,000 employees and approximately $60 billion in 1999 revenues, Verizon's global presence extends to 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com .