Verizon Online With MSN Premium Answers DSL Customers' Calls for Better Online Protection

LAS VEGAS - Later this month, Verizon Online high-speed Internet customers will be able to slam spam, vanquish viruses, wipe out worms, pulverize pop-up ads and power up their online protection with MSN(r) Premium, MSN's premier all-in-one Web service offering.

New and current Verizon Online DSL customers will share all the advantages of MSN Premium - continuous online protection, advanced communications tools, and digital lifestyle management - in addition to Verizon Online ISP services, at no additional charge.

"With MSN Premium, Verizon Online will deliver the best overall value in broadband," said Judy Verses, senior vice president for Verizon Retail Markets Group. "This broadband experience allows our customers to see, hear and feel the Internet like never before at prices everyone can afford."

"One of our goals at MSN is to help broadband customers be more efficient online," said Richard Bray, vice president for MSN at Microsoft. "MSN Premium delivers this by bringing the tools customers told us they need together in one place. We're thrilled to work with Verizon Online to deliver tremendous value to their broadband customers in one convenient package that helps them make the most of their broadband connection."

MSN Premium was designed to meet Verizon Online DSL customers' need for:
• Persistent protection with industry-leading technology to provide proven security solutions including:
  • desktop anti-virus, firewall and anti-spyware protection powered by McAfee Security,
  • multiple levels of junk e-mail filtering including Microsoft SmartScreen technology,
  • smart pop-up management,
  • better parental controls.

• Comprehensive premium Web service for broadband homes with multiple users, support for 11 e-mail accounts and 25 MB (megabytes) of storage for the primary customer and 10 MB for each additional account.

• Advanced communication capabilities by providing email management and creation tools; introducing innovative and seamless ways of sharing digital photos; enabling customers to easily manage multiple e-mail accounts; and helping them jointly manage their work and personal information with the Microsoft Office Outlook Connector.

• Digital lifestyle management with information services and productivity applications like a dynamic dashboard, Web logging capabilities, photo editing and organization tools with MSN Photos Plus, personal finance tools with MSN Money Plus, learning and resource tools from MSN Encarta Premium.

MSN Video, available through the MSN network at MSN.com, will bring Verizon Online customers free high-quality streaming video news, sports and entertainment from content providers including NBC, Showtime, Discovery, NHL.com and many others.

Verizon Online DSL customers will be able to download MSN Premium at www.verizon.net/betterway when the service is launched later in January. Beginning Jan. 23, the service will be included in Verizon Online's do-it-yourself DSL modem and CD installation kit.

Verizon Online and MSN History

On May 13, 2003, Verizon Online and MSN added a new co-branded portal - Verizon Online with MSN 8 - in addition to Verizon Online's Internet service. At the same time, Verizon Online announced lower DSL prices of $34.95 a month for stand-alone service and $29.95 a month for DSL as part of a qualified Verizon local and long-distance bundle.

Verizon Online is a full-service Internet service provider, offering a complete selection of dial-up, DSL and dedicated Internet access services for residential consumers and businesses. By the end of 2003, approximately 80 percent of Verizon's lines were capable of delivering DSL service.

Verizon Communications

A Fortune 10 company, Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services, with approximately $67 billion in revenues. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with more than 139 million access line equivalents and 36 million Verizon Wireless customers. Verizon is the third largest long-distance carrier for U.S. consumers, with nearly 16 million long-distance lines. The company is also the largest directory publisher in the world, as measured by directory titles and circulation. Verizon's international presence includes wireline and wireless communications operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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