Verizon Opens Advanced Data Facility in Largo, Md. to Serve Internet Service Providers

LARGO, Md. - Verizon today formally opened a facility in Largo, Md., to meet Internet service providers' communications needs in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. This center, along with a sister facility in Greenbelt, Md., has brought 800 new jobs to Prince George's County over the last year.

Verizon officials joined Prince George's County business and community leaders for the official opening of the Verizon Advanced Data, Inc. (VADI) work center at 1801 McCormick Drive.

''County Executive Wayne K. Curry and our county council are pleased that these 800 new technology jobs have come to Prince George's County,'' said Joseph J. James, president and CEO of the Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation. ''Easy access to high-speed Internet infrastructure is a high priority of the Prince George's County High Technology Council because it will help maintain and grow the county's high technology base.

''This new Verizon Advanced Data facility helps to strengthen that infrastructure,'' James added.

Verizon Advanced Data oversees the planning, designing and engineering of all of Verizon's digital subscriber line (DSL) and other high-speed data network services in areas where the company is an incumbent local telephone company. The business unit supplies Verizon DSL connections to several hundred Internet service providers (ISPs), which in turn market high-speed Internet access under their respective brands.

Employees at the Largo facility provide DSL provisioning and maintenance services to Internet service providers that offer high-speed Internet access with Verizon DSL in the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states. The Largo center is linked to VADI's data network operations center in Greenbelt, Md., which watches over Verizon's DSL network.

''Verizon Advanced Data's decision to place this high-tech center in Largo confirms what we've known about Prince George's County for some time: It's an excellent place to do business,'' said William R. Roberts, president of Verizon Maryland. ''We look forward to providing world-class service to our customers.''

Prince George's County ranks second among all Maryland counties in firms and employment. The new Verizon facility joins the other 900 high technology companies, which employ over 33,000 high technology employees.

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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 112 million access line equivalents and 27 million wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. A Fortune 10 company with approximately 260,000 employees and more than $65 billion in annual 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