Verizon Launches Local Calling between White Sulphur Springs, Marlinton, W.Va.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. - Beginning April 1, Verizon's customers in White Sulphur Springs will enjoy an expanded local calling area, allowing them to place local calls to the Marlinton exchange.

The White Sulphur Springs exchange serves those numbers that begin with 536. The numbers in the Marlinton exchange, which is served by Frontier, begin with 799. On April 1, customers need to dial only seven digits when calling between the two exchanges.

"Many of our customers in White Sulphur Springs are looking forward to this expanded local calling," said John Golden, Verizon's local area manager. He added that customers who often call Marlinton would need to reprogram speed calling and other automatic dialers, including fax machines, for those numbers in the Marlinton exchange.

Customers who subscribe to the Frequent Caller plan can call this exchange at no additional charge. Subscribers to the Thrifty, Community or Community Plus plans will be billed local usage charges for calls to Marlinton. During peak calling periods, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., the usage charge is 8.6 cents for the first minute and 5.7 cents for each additional minute.

Residential customers who wish to change their local calling plan can do so by contacting Verizon's business office at 954-6200; business customers wishing to make a change should call 954-6202.

Verizon Communications

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 135.8 million access line equivalents and 32.5 million Verizon Wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. With more than $67 billion in annual revenues and 229,500 employees, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 30 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.