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Verizon to Bring Its Revolutionary All-Fiber-Optic Network and FiOS Internet, TV Services to Chesapeake, Va.

Posted on: Thursday, 24 May 2007, 09:00 CDT

CHESAPEAKE, Va., May 24 /PRNewswire/ -- For Chesapeake residents who want the fastest Internet speeds on the market or who want to kiss their cable company goodbye, help is on the way.

Verizon, the company that is building the nation's most advanced digital all-fiber-optic network straight to customers' homes, has begun its all-fiber construction in Chesapeake.

"FiOS Internet and TV services have been an extraordinary hit with consumers in Hampton Roads and across Virginia, and Chesapeake residents soon will be able to join the FiOS family," said Robert W. Woltz Jr., president of Verizon Virginia. "Verizon is offering consumers a superior choice by providing the best network available at a competitive price for voice, data and video services."

The network uses hair-thin strands of fiber and optical electronics to directly link homes and businesses to Verizon's network and replaces the traditional copper-wire connections for voice, high-speed Internet and TV.

Customer Feedback about FiOS Services Is Positive

Customer reaction to Verizon's FiOS services has been very positive, with broadband and TV subscribers rapidly increasing in markets in Virginia and across the country. Verizon currently offers FiOS Internet service and FiOS TV service in portions of Virginia Beach and Newport News, as well as the Richmond area and much of northern Virginia.

Nationwide, Verizon offers FiOS Internet service in more than 1,700 communities in the 16 states where the company's new network is deployed. Verizon currently offers FiOS TV service to more than 400 communities in 10 states: California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

And customers are responding to the superior reliability, quality and speed of FiOS services. At the end of the first quarter 2007, the company had 864,000 FiOS Internet connections, an increase of 177,000 during the quarter. Verizon added a net of 141,000 new FiOS TV customers in the quarter, with a total of 348,000 FiOS TV customers at the end of the quarter. This growth is accelerating, as the company averaged approximately 2,200 FiOS TV net customer additions per business day in the first quarter 2007, about 750 more net additions per business day than the fourth-quarter 2006 average.

Superior Network, Awesome Services

Companies that install all-fiber networks gain other advantages in addition to new and superior services for customers. For example, fiber offers reliable service in stretches of wet weather that can affect copper- based networks.

"Verizon's 100 percent fiber-optic network is technically superior to other communication platforms because it offers faster data speeds than those currently available, as well as voice and video capabilities," said Ty Stephenson, Verizon's vice president of customer operations in Virginia. "This new network will have greater reliability and lower maintenance costs. By deploying fiber to homes and businesses in our territory, Verizon is transforming its wireline business into 21st century technology."

Verizon offers three tiers of FiOS Internet service for consumers:* -- 5 Mbps (megabits per second) downstream and 2 Mbps upstream. Suited for Internet surfing and basic computer functions. $39.99 a month with a one-year agreement. -- 15 Mbps downstream and 2 Mbps upstream. Appealing to families that have multiple computers and various needs such as media downloads and the ability to access or share large files. $49.99 a month with a one-year agreement. -- 30 Mbps downstream and 5 Mbps upstream. Designed for communications- intensive power users with significant bandwidth needs, such as telecommuters or work-at-home households and avid online gamers. $54.95 a month with a one-year agreement.

In addition, FiOS TV offers a broad collection of all-digital programming, 23 high-definition channels in the Hampton Roads market, 8,600 video-on-demand titles and more. Fiber delivers amazingly sharp pictures and sound, and has the capacity to transmit a wide array of high-definition programming that is so clear and intense it seems to leap from the TV screen.

Fiber Network Construction Benefits Economy

The significant network transformation to all fiber optics has created jobs in Virginia. "In addition to the many benefits our customers enjoy -- superior, reliable FiOS services at great prices -- our fiber project has had a positive impact on Virginia's economy," said Woltz. "We've hired more than 1,100 Verizon employees in the state over the past three years to design, install and support our fiber network with its FiOS Internet, TV and voice services."

Locally, more than 400 Verizon employees provide technical support for customers at the company's Fiber Solutions Center in Hampton, which opened in March 2005.

*NOTE: Actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

Verizon Communications Inc. , headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 60.7 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 238,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion. For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com/.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at http://www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

Verizon

CONTACT: Harry Mitchell of Verizon, +1-804-772-1460,harry.j.mitchell@verizon.com

Web site: http://www.verizon.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html

Source: PRNewswire

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