Verizon Invested More Than $113 Million in Rhode Island's Wireline Communications, IT Infrastructure in 2012

      Verizon Invested More Than $113 Million in Rhode Island's Wireline
                  Communications, IT Infrastructure in 2012

Company's Innovation and Broadband, Internet Protocol Investments Are Powerful
Platforms for Economic Growth

PR Newswire

PROVIDENCE, R.I., March 7, 2013

PROVIDENCE, R.I., March 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon's powerful networks
continue to meet the growing broadband, communications and information needs
of Ocean State consumers and businesses, as the company invested more than
$113 million in its Rhode Island's wireline networks and information
technology infrastructure in 2012. 

"The economic health of Rhode Island, and the people who live and work there,
is increasingly tied to robust and modern communications networks, and
Verizon's significant infrastructure investments provide a prescription for
growth," said Allison G. Cole, Verizon region president for consumer and mass
business markets in New England.  "Advanced networks spur innovation,
commerce, business development, learning and communication at an accelerated
pace.

"Our infrastructure investment breaks down traditional technological
boundaries, providing powerful solutions that enable people and businesses to
connect however, whenever and wherever they want.  This creates opportunities
that are borderless and that bring great benefits to our customers, employees,
suppliers and communities," said Cole.

More than half of U.S. consumers say Internet service is their home's most
important convenience, according to the Verizon FiOS Innovation Index – a
series of consumer research surveys.  More than 50 percent of all survey
respondents also indicated an interest in remote health monitoring and virtual
medical visits, which are enabled by ultra-high-speed networks and innovative
applications.

"Whether it's touring the Louvre from your laptop, watching TV on your tablet,
or monitoring blood pressure online, the power of our networks is helping
consumers and businesses advance their own agenda and remove technological
boundaries," said Cole.

Innovation That Creates Consumer Choice, Delivers Rich Customer Experiences

Verizon's major wireline infrastructure programs in 2012 included:

  o Continued 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 436,000 (or 85 percent of) Rhode
    Island homes and businesses.
  o The introduction of breakthrough speeds with FiOS Quantum Internet for
    consumers and small businesses, featuring download/upload speeds of 50/25,
    75/35, 150/65 and 300/65 megabits per second (Mbps).  The two highest
    downstream speed offers – 150 and 300 Mbps – and the new 65 Mbps upstream
    speed are some of the nation's fastest mass scale Internet speeds
    available.  (This FiOS Internet speed grid shows specific examples of the
    benefits of faster downstream and upstream speeds.)
  o Continued FiOS innovation:

       o FiOS TV anytime, anywhere, on a variety of devices, including Flex
         View and FiOS TV Online, to which Verizon added 12 new brands,
         representing more than 50 channels, including Showtime, FOX, VH1, NFL
         Network and NFL RedZone.
       o TV beyond the set-top box, featuring 75 live, linear channels
         delivered via Xbox, iPad and an array of Samsung and LG smart TVs and
         Blu-ray players.
       o Content enhancement by adding 28 new channels, such as BBC HD and
         Cartoon Network HD; more than 17,000 video-on-demand titles,
         including free VOD from NBA TV; and a significant expansion to
         Verizon's free on-demand offerings from TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network and
         Showtime.  FiOS TV now offers more than 50,000 VOD titles each month.

  o Investing in superior customer experiences: More than 200,000 Verizon
    customers nationwide who had repeat repair calls on their landline phone
    service moved their service from Verizon's copper network to the company's
    all-fiber infrastructure, which is less susceptible than copper to
    moisture and water damage and offers a better service experience.
  o Continued deployment of fiber-optic links to wireless providers' cell
    sites throughout Rhode Island as these carriers expand their
    infrastructure to meet ever-growing demand for wireless broadband and
    advanced 4G services.  In 2012, Verizon deployed fiber optics to connect
    78 of these sites in the state. 

(NOTE: Verizon Wireless infrastructure investment information can be found at
http://news.verizonwireless.com/news/index.html?type=News+Releases.)

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 more than 98 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, including all of
the Fortune 500.  A Dow 30 company with nearly $116 billion in 2012 revenues,
Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 183,400.  For more information, visit
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
www.verizon.com/news.  To receive news releases by email, visit the News
Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news
releases.

SOURCE Verizon

Website: http://www.verizon.com
Contact: Phil Santoro, +1-617-743-4760, philip.g.santoro@verizon.com