Verizon Online To Introduce High-Speed Internet Access In Bridgeport, Clarksburg, Fairmont, Morgantown, W. Va.

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. - Verizon Online soon will raise the online speed limit in four north-central West Virginia cities with the introduction of its super-fast digital subscriber line (DSL) Internet access service for residential customers and businesses.

Verizon plans to begin offering Verizon Online DSL service in September to customers in Bridgeport, Clarksburg, Fairmont and Morgantown. The announcement came today in a Clarksburg news conference conducted by Gale Given, president of Verizon West Virginia, and Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.).

"DSL provides customers with the speed necessary to take full advantage of the Internet, from small business applications and online shopping to downloading video clips and telecommuting," Given said. "The demand for Verizon Online DSL service has been tremendous, and customers in West Virginia's High-Tech Corridor will enjoy the benefits of a lightning-fast Internet connection."

Verizon has already introduced DSL in the Charleston and Huntington markets. "Our customers in those areas are very enthusiastic about the service," Given said.

"Companies can significantly increase their revenues by extending their services to customers online in other parts of the world," Rockefeller said. "The future of West Virginia's economic viability is tied in large part to our participation in this global economy. Verizon's expansion of broadband technology in West Virginia is an important investment in our economic future."

"The rapid growth of North Central West Virginia's technology sector makes our region an ideal candidate for this type of high-speed Internet service," said Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-W.Va.), who had strongly encouraged Verizon to make DSL service available in the I-79 Technology Corridor. "Broadband access will be an empowering agent for our businesses, non-profit technology organizations and educational institutions. It will help to ensure that we have the physical infrastructure to compete with other, more urban tech-oriented regions across the country."

Due to distance limitations of DSL technology, the service will not be available on every line. Once the service is available in September, local Verizon telephone customers will need to check availability on their individual line before ordering by going to www.verizon.net or by calling Verizon toll-free at 1-800-567-6789.

Two Internet DSL Packages Give Consumers Great Choice

Verizon Online offers two DSL consumer packages. One, priced at $49.95 a month, provides a maximum downstream connection speed of 768 Kbps (kilobits per second). The other package, costing $59.95 a month, provides speeds up to 1.5 Mbps (megabits per second). Verizon Online's DSL consumer packages include 10 megabytes of Web storage, 10 megabytes of e-mail storage and four e-mail boxes. Charges for the service appear on a customer's monthly Verizon telephone bill.

Verizon periodically offers special promotions for DSL. Under a current promotion, there's no annual commitment required and the service comes with a 30-day, money-back guarantee.

DSL residential customers with more than one PC or laptop can buy a Verizon home networking gateway to connect those computers. The gateway enables computers to share one DSL line anywhere in the house and provides a built-in firewall for added security.

Verizon Online DSL for Business Customers

Verizon Online also offers a complete portfolio of DSL products and services to meet the wide range of broadband needs for small and medium-size businesses. There are seven packages ranging from maximum connections speeds of 768 Kbps downstream/128 Kbps upstream to 7.1 Mbps downstream/768 Kbps upstream. Prices range from $49.95 to $204.95 a month.

The business packages include six domain name e-mailboxes, domain name registration or transfer, and DNS (Domain Name System). Verizon Online also offers routers that allow small and medium-size businesses to connect multiple users to a single DSL line.

Technical Definitions

DSL service generally is available to homes and offices located within approximately three miles of Verizon's local switching center or "central office." Some technical limitations may block DSL from individual telephone lines, even when located within the three-mile radius of a DSL-equipped central office.

All the downstream and upstream speeds describing Verizon Online's DSL services are maximum connection speeds between the customer's computer and Verizon's DSL equipment. Actual connection speeds will vary from the maximum speeds and often will be lower. Throughput or download speeds will be lower than connection speed and vary based on telephone line condition and distance from Verizon's central office, PC configuration, home or office wiring and the server or router speed of sites connected to on the Internet, among other factors.

Verizon Online is a full-service Internet service provider, offering a complete suite of dial-up, DSL and dedicated Internet access services for residential consumers and small and medium-size businesses. Dial-up and dedicated Internet access from Verizon Online is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. DSL Internet access services are available in 28 states and the District. Verizon Online also offers businesses a robust portfolio of Web hosting and business e-mail services across the country.

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 133.8 million access line equivalents and approximately 29.6 million wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. With more than $67 billion in annual revenues and nearly 248,000 employees, 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.

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