Verizon Now Offers Long-Distance Service to Large Businesses, Government in Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA - Large business and government customers in Pennsylvania now can obtain their local and long-distance voice and data services from a single, trusted company with a long-standing record of quality customer service - Verizon.

Verizon is now offering long-distance voice and data services designed to meet the requirements of "enterprise" customers in Pennsylvania - business and government customers - with annual long-distance expenditures of at least $10,000. The company introduced its long-distance product line for Keystone State consumers and small businesses Oct. 23 following federal approval that allowed Verizon to offer long-distance service in Pennsylvania. Long-distance services for enterprise customers are provided by Verizon Select Services Inc.

"Large business and government customers in Pennsylvania can now choose to have their long-distance services from Verizon, a company that offers competitive pricing and customer service capabilities consistently ranked among the best in the industry," said Edward F. McGuinness, senior vice president, marketing, Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group. "Verizon's solid financial track record means that customers seeking an alternative or secondary long-distance provider, can choose Verizon knowing that we will be here tomorrow and well into the future."

Here are brief descriptions of Verizon's standard long-distance voice calling plans for enterprise customers:
• Great Connections - a domestic calling plan designed for customers who purchase switched access from Verizon and have annual long-distance expenditures of $10,000 to $36,000; this plan offers a flat per minute rate for all inbound and outbound interstate calls with state-specific intrastate flat per-minute rates

• Custom Connections II - a domestic calling plan designed for customers with annual long-distance expenditures of $24,000 to $360,000, this plan serves customers who buy switched or dedicated access from Verizon; customers choose an annual commitment level based on expected annual usage for a one- to three-year term; the plan includes a low, flat per-minute rate for all inbound and outbound calls.

Verizon also will develop customized packages of long-distance voice services for customers with specific requirements.

The company also offers inbound and outbound international service, domestic and international toll-free services and calling cards.

In addition, Verizon also offers a comprehensive suite of data transport products, including private line (at transmission speeds of DS-0 through OC-48), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM at transmission speeds of DS-1 through OC-12) and frame relay service. With 6.9 million long-distance customers in 40 states, Verizon is the fourth largest long-distance provider in the United States.

Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group manages the design, operation and maintenance of end-to-end total network integrated solutions for large business and government customers across the United States. With over 15,000 employees in 46 states, Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group offers a complete range of basic and advanced communications products and services to meet the voice, video, data and IP-related needs of its customers. For more information on products and services available through Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group, please visit www.verizon.com/enterprisesolutions.

Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) 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 128.5 million access line equivalents and 28.7 million wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. A Fortune 10 company with 256,000 employees and approximately $65 billion in annual revenues, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.