Verizon Helps Find Anyone, Anywhere With a Phone Number

NEW YORK -- Tracking down an address for an invitation or figuring out where a business has moved can be time-consuming. But Verizon customers can find out the name and address that go with a phone number in seconds with a new "reverse directory assistance" service from Verizon, now available in four New England states.

"This is a great service for those who need a quick address, and don't want to wait for computer dial-up time, or don't have access to a print version of a reverse directory," said Kitty Linder, president, Verizon LiveSource, the company's operator services unit.

Starting Sept. 2, the service is available to customers in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire by dialing 411.

Verizon's LiveSource Directory Assistance operators will quickly provide callers with the corresponding address when the caller provides a phone number anywhere in the United States. Finding an address with a quick phone call is much faster than going online since it takes an average of 105 seconds to boot up a computer, plus the time it takes to open the browser and do a search. Verizon's LiveSource operators can provide the information in under 20 seconds on average.

"Verizon will continue to protect our customer's individual preferences for privacy when they have unlisted or unpublished numbers," Linder said.

Customers who have their numbers unlisted or not published in directories or directory assistance databases will continue to have their privacy protected. Name and address information will only be given out for customers whose numbers are listed in telephone directories. Customers usually make their listing choice when signing up for phone service and can make changes at any time. The price of the new reverse look-up service is the same as a national directory assistance call (95 cents on a per-use basis for calls originating from the areas identified in today's announcement, with the exception of Massachusetts out-of-state searches, which are $1.25.)

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 135.1 million access line equivalents and 30.3 million Verizon Wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. With more than $67 billion in annual revenues and approximately 241,000 employees, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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