Verizon Invested More Than $1.6 Billion in New York's and Connecticut's Wireline Telecommunications Infrastructure in 2013

NEW YORK – Consumers, businesses and government agencies in New York and Connecticut continued to benefit from Verizon’s 2013 investment of more than $1.6 billion in its industry-leading fiber-optic and Internet Protocol-based networks. 

Continuing a trend that began in 1995, Verizon has spent in excess of $1 billion each year to further build, refine and modernize its land-based communications infrastructure in the two states.

“Our customers in these markets – both residential and business – require some of the most sophisticated and complex, yet simplified and easy-to-use communications tools,” said Kevin Service, Verizon’s president for consumer and mass business in the Northeast. “And Verizon’s networks and its employees stand ready to meet those customers’ needs.    

“Our network investments in New York and Connecticut provide an engine for economic growth through our aggressive wireline and wireless networks and IT deployment,” Service said.  “No other company is as deeply tied on a daily basis to the residents and the economy of the region as Verizon. Our advanced networks enable new businesses to grow, small businesses to percolate, give schools and educators a platform for learning, and provide families a means to connect.”

After Superstorm Sandy, the company throttled forward its plans for installing fiber-optic technology in 2013 to replace cables and other infrastructure elements that were destroyed by the unprecedented flooding. In the most dramatic example, the company installed fiber-optic cables and networking equipment throughout lower Manhattan and in some of the coastal neighborhoods in Brooklyn, such as Coney Island and Sheepshead Bay, and in Queens, such as Belle Harbor and Breezy Point, and on Long Island, giving all of those areas a robust and reliable all-fiber-optic telecommunications network for years to come.

Last year, Verizon reached an agreement with the City of New York to conduct a pilot program of “microtrenching,” which enables fiber-optic cables to be installed in a way that’s less disruptive to the city’s streets and sidewalks.

Verizon collaborated with two business incubators in New York City to provide its super-fast FiOS Internet service to entrepreneurs, helping them implement their business models and grow. With the Harlem Garage, Verizon provided its FiOS Quantum 300 Mbps Internet service to help small companies based at the West 118th Street incubator. Partnering with Take the HELM, the company also provided free FiOS Quantum Internet service to entrepreneurs who won a business planning competition and who locate their operations in lower Manhattan. 

Additionally, in a unique application of energy efficiency and sustainability, Verizon installed fuel cell technology to power central office buildings in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island in New York, and a data center in Elmsford in Westchester County.

Consumers, Small Businesses Take Quantum Leap for Innovative Services

Verizon’s major wireline infrastructure programs in 2013 included:

• Continuing deployment of the company’s award-winning, 100 percent fiber-optic FiOS TV and FiOS Internet services. At year’s end, FiOS services were available to more than 3.7 million homes and businesses in the two states. Verizon has placed more than nearly 30,000 miles of fiber optics in the two states – about the same distance as 10 trips between New York City and Los Angeles.
• Enhancing the FiOS Bandwidth Effect, which enables consumers and small businesses to harness huge amounts of broadband.
  • FiOS Quantum, which delivers blazing-fast speeds of up to 500 Mbps down and 100 Mbps up. Other Quantum speeds include 300/65 Mbps, 150/65 Mbps, 75/35 Mbps and 50/25 Mbps. All Quantum tiers offer upload speeds that rival or exceed most download speeds offered by competitors.
  • The ultra-fast speed delivers technology that gives people the best way to stream videos, conduct video chats and use multiple Internet devices simultaneously, among other bandwidth-intensive applications.
  • Multi-player gaming advantages, with tremendous speed versus competitors.
• Delivering FiOS TV anytime, anywhere on a variety of devices:
  • The FiOS Mobile App allows customers to watch up to 31 channels outside the home and up to 111 channels inside the home, depending upon their TV package.
  • FiOS TV Online, offering 74 channels over a broadband-connected PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone.
  • Advanced, interactive search and navigational experience.
  • Multi-Room DVR.
  • Advanced, interactive TV Apps.
  • Industry-leading 70,000-plus FiOS On Demand video titles customers can rent or own, plus premium on-demand content packages with sports, movie and international programming.
• Comprehensive choice including month-to-month plans and multi-year bundles.
• In-Home Agent application for automated self-service.
• Advanced, FiOS Digital Voice home phone service.
• Investing in superior customer experiences: Verizon has improved phone service reliability for more than 500,000 customers who had repeat repair calls on their Verizon landline phone service by moving their service from copper to the company’s advanced, all-fiber infrastructure. Nationwide, Verizon now serves more landline customers on its all-fiber infrastructure than on its legacy copper network.  Fiber is less susceptible than copper to moisture and water damage and offers a better overall service experience.

Enterprise Business Solutions Tailored to Meet Client Needs

Verizon Enterprise Solutions oversees all of Verizon’s solutions for large-business, wholesale and government customers in New York and Connecticut and globally, including a portfolio of cloud and IT, enterprise mobility, security and advanced communications offerings. Its key client segments include healthcare, manufacturing and automotive, financial services and large government agencies. In 2013, Verizon:

• Acquired EdgeCast and the assets of upLynk to further the company’s delivery of media and entertainment services. These acquisitions enable Verizon to enhance delivery of end-to-end video solutions for best-in-class TV Everywhere and superior experiences to customers such as studios, broadcasters, retailers and enterprises that seek high-performance digital experiences across all devices.
• Announced its next-generation public cloud platform, Verizon Cloud. Verizon Cloud offers large enterprises, mid-size companies and small development shops the agility and economic benefit of a generic public cloud along with the reliability and scale of an enterprise-level service with unprecedented control of performance and security. Verizon Cloud is currently in beta.
• Launched Converged Health Management, a remote patient-monitoring medical platform designed to help clinicians and patients manage patients’ health in between doctor visits. Verizon’s newest solution addresses the day-to-day communications gap that has historically existed between patients and clinicians.
• Introduced Managed Wireless ATM, a fully managed, wireless automated teller machine solution that banks can deploy to their remote ATMs, at events or for business continuity planning.
• Rolled out “In Drive” service in conjunction with insurance companies. In Drive, developed by Verizon Telematics, offers drivers an opportunity to save money on auto insurance, based on their driving habits.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with nearly 103 million retail connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries. A Dow 30 company with more than $120 billion in 2013 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 176,800. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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