Verizon Online Offers Twice the Speed of Its Basic Consumer DSL Service For the Same Low Price

NEW YORK - Verizon today announced it is now offering consumer DSL service with twice the speed of its current basic plan at no additional charge.

"Our highest speed service is now available at our lowest price ever for DSL," said Marilyn O'Connell, senior vice president - broadband solutions for Verizon. "And, unlike some competitors' services, our lowest price is not a short-term promotional rate that automatically increases later on. We're creating the best value in broadband for all our customers with an unbeatable combination of low cost, high speed, superior content and excellent customer service."

Qualified Verizon Online consumers can now pay just $29.95 a month for unlimited high-speed DSL Internet access with a maximum connection speed of up to 3 Mbps (megabits per second) downstream and 768 Kbps (kilobits per second) upstream when purchased in an annual service plan or as part of a package of calling services from Verizon. Month-to-month service is also available for $37.95 a month. Previously, only service with a maximum connection speed of up to 1.5 Mbps downstream and 384 Kbps upstream was available for this price.

Current subscribers to the 3.0 Mbps/768 Kbps plans will automatically be switched to the new rate effective with the start of their first bill cycle after March 20.

New DSL customers signing up for an annual service plan also receive, at no additional charge, a free home gateway - a combination DSL modem and broadband router - that lets them share their DSL connection among multiple computers in their homes.

"More households than ever before are connecting more than one computer to a broadband connection, and we encourage our customers to get the most out of DSL by home networking" said O'Connell. "Our home gateway makes it easy for everyone in a household to be online at the same time. It's an incredible value for customers who sign up for our annual service plan."

Verizon Online DSL customers receive the benefits of MSN Premium at no additional charge as part of their service - a $99 annual value that includes online safety and security features such as pop-up guard, firewall, virus protection, advanced spam filters and parental controls.

Verizon Online offers customers a superior online experience with features like round-the-clock live technical support, nine e-mail boxes, 10 MB (megabytes) of personal Web space with exclusive Site Builder tool, access to the world of online music from Rhapsody and games from Wild Tangent and RealArcade and other multimedia content and services.

To order Verizon Online DSL, visit www.verizon.net or call 1-800-PICK DSL (1-800-742-5375). The first month of service is free when ordered online, and all customers receive a 30-day money-back guarantee.

With more than $71 billion in annual revenues, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon has a diverse work force of more than 210,000 in four business units: Domestic Telecom serves customers based in 29 states with wireline telecommunications services, including broadband and other services. Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 43.8 million voice and data customers across the United States. Information Services operates directory publishing businesses and provides electronic commerce services. International includes wireline and wireless operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit
www.verizon.com.

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