Verizon Online Introduces High-Speed Internet Access In Shirley, Mass.

SHIRLEY, Mass. - Verizon Online is raising the speed limit in Shirley with the introduction of super-fast digital subscriber line (DSL) service for consumers and businesses.

Deploying DSL in Shirley is part of Verizon's accelerated DSL rollout schedule to extend the service to millions of additional homes and businesses. Broadband policy changes agreed to by the Federal Communications Commission in February improved the business environment for Verizon and other DSL service providers, making more aggressive broadband deployment possible.

Verizon residential customers save $15 a month on DSL when they also order the newest package of services from Verizon, Veriations^SM Freedom. With the Veriations Freedom package, customers get unlimited direct-dialed local and Verizon long-distance calling and up to five call-management features, like Caller ID, for one low monthly price.

"DSL provides customers with the speed they need to take full advantage of the Internet for their small business needs, telecommuting, banking, shopping online and entertainment like games-on-demand," said Linda Mahoney, Verizon regional director of Public Affairs. "Now our customers in Shirley can enjoy the benefits of turbo-charged Internet access."

Verizon Online Offers Choice of DSL Pricing Plans

Verizon Online offers three pricing plans for its most popular residential DSL service, which offers maximum speeds of 768Kbps (kilobits per second) downstream and 128Kbps upstream. Current promotions for new customers who order DSL service --

• With a one-year commitment DSL service is $39.95 a month. The first month is free when ordered online at www.verizon.net.

• The month-to-month plan is $29.95 for the first six months, and then the monthly price is $49.95. The first month is free when ordered online at www.verizon.net.

• With the Veriations Freedom bundle of Verizon services, DSL service is $29.95 for the first six months; then it is $34.95 a month.

Local Verizon telephone customers who want to order basic DSL service or faster DSL service can get more information online at www.verizon.net or by calling Verizon at 1-800-567-6789.

Share the Connection

When customers sign up for DSL, they can also buy Linksys' wired and wireless routers for $99.95 and $149.95, respectively, from Verizon Online. Both products allow consumers and businesses to connect multiple computers and laptops to one DSL connection. Printers, scanners, files and MP3s can be shared over the Linksys network. It also provides a built-in firewall for added security. There's no monthly charge for sharing the DSL connection.

All Verizon Online DSL packages for consumers include a free do-it-yourself installation kit with a DSL modem, 10 MB (megabytes) of Web storage, 10 MB of e-mail storage and four e-mail boxes. Customers can be billed on their monthly telephone bills or a credit card. All packages come with a 30-day, money-back guarantee.

Verizon Online DSL for Business Customers

Verizon Online offers six DSL packages to meet the broadband needs of businesses. The packages range from speeds of 768Kbps downstream and 128Kbps upstream to 7.1Mbps (megabits per second) downstream and 768Kbps upstream. Prices range from $59.95 to $204.95 a month.

Companies that subscribe to Veriations for Business, a bundle of Verizon business-level services on one bill, qualify for a 10 percent discount on their DSL service with a dynamic Internet protocol (IP) address. The bundle includes FirmRate Plus or SimpleOptions long-distance calling plans, DSL and a local package such as WorkSmart, Centrex Plus or CustoPAK.

DSL business packages include the high-speed connection, six domain name e-mail boxes (yourname@yourcompany.com), domain name registration or transfer and domain name service (DNS). Verizon Online offers wireless and wired routers that allow small and medium-size businesses to connect multiple computers to a single DSL line.

Verizon Online also offers businesses a robust portfolio of business e-mail and Web hosting services. Customers can save time by using the company's new point-and-click Web site tools to edit their own sites.

Technical Definitions

DSL service generally is available to homes and offices located within approximately three miles of Verizon's local switching center or "central office." Some technical limitations may interfere with the ability of individual telephone lines to get DSL, even when the lines are within three miles of a DSL-equipped central office.

Downstream and upstream speeds describing Verizon Online's DSL services are maximum connection speeds between the customer's computer and Verizon's DSL equipment. Actual connection speeds will vary from the maximum speeds and often will be lower. Throughput or download speeds will be lower than connection speeds and vary based on telephone line condition and distance from Verizon's central office, home or office wiring and the server or router speed of sites visited on the Internet, among other factors.

Verizon Online is a full-service Internet service provider, offering a complete selection of dial-up, DSL and dedicated Internet access services for residential consumers and businesses. Verizon Online DSL service is available in 23 states and the District of Columbia.

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.

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