A New Era of TV Choice, Competition is Nearer for Verizon Customers in Southwestern Pennsylvania

A New Era of TV Choice, Competition is Nearer for Verizon Customers in Southwestern Pennsylvania

Customers Soon Will Have Access to Innovative FiOS TV on Nation's Most Advanced, Digital All-Fiber Network

PITTSBURGH, July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 100,000 households in 19 southwestern Pennsylvania municipalities are a major step closer to having a real choice for their television services. Verizon is close to completing franchise agreements with the North Hills Council of Governments (COG) and a group of four South Hills communities to allow the company to offer its fiber- optic-powered FiOS TV.

The agreements cover 15 municipalities represented by the North Hills COG and four South Hills communities: Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon, Peters and Upper St. Clair. To enable Verizon to begin offering FiOS TV to customers, each municipality must now review and approve the franchise agreement, a process that has started in several communities.

"This is a great day for Verizon customers in southwestern Pennsylvania, who are one step closer to choosing their TV provider as easily as they now choose their phone company," said William B. Petersen, president of Verizon Pennsylvania. "Competition drives innovation, value and service quality, and we hope to bring these benefits to more consumers by reaching similar agreements with other municipalities across southwestern Pennsylvania."

FiOS TV is the company's new fiber-optic television service, delivered over the nation's most advanced, all-digital, all-fiber-optic network, which has industry-leading quality and reliability. Only Verizon's FiOS network has earned the certification of the independent Fiber to the Home Council for providing fiber all the way to customers' homes.

Verizon currently offers FiOS TV to more than 230,000 households in more than 70 southeastern Pennsylvania communities and will make FiOS TV available to other Pennsylvania communities where it has obtained franchises from local authorities.

In addition to Pennsylvania, Verizon currently offers FiOS TV in parts of 11 other states: California, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia.

FiOS TV offers a broad collection of all-digital programming, more than 20 high-definition channels, video on demand and more. It takes advantage of the fiber-optic network to deliver amazingly sharp pictures and breathtaking 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.

In addition to FiOS TV, Verizon's fiber network also allows the company to offer consumers and businesses high-speed FiOS Internet service at download speeds of up to 30 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds up to 5 Mbps.* FiOS Internet service currently is available to many consumers and small businesses in more than 90 communities across southwestern Pennsylvania.

* NOTE: actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), 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 www.verizon.com.

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Source: Verizon

CONTACT: Lee Gierczynski of Verizon, +1-412-633-5574,
lee.j.gierczynski@verizon.com

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