As Students Head Back to School, Verizon Extends Offer of 90 Days of Free Service With Internet Security, File-Backup Protection Bundle to Verizon Broadband Customers

NEW YORK, Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Parents equipping their children for another year of academic challenges are reminded that just as important as that shiny, new laptop is protecting it from online threats and providing an easy, secure way of backing up files.

To make the task easier, Verizon is extending its offer of the award-winning Verizon Internet Security Suite (VISS) bundled with Verizon Online Backup and Sharing (VOBS), and the first 90 days of service free, for Verizon broadband customers who are subscribing to VISS and VOBS for the first time.  The offer is available until Oct. 16, 2010.  Broadband users who have another Internet service provider also can sign up for a VISS and VOBS bundle, but are not eligible for the 90 days of free service.

After the free service ends, Verizon broadband customers will automatically be billed $10 a month for VISS coverage for up to three computers and 50 GB (gigabytes) of VOBS online storage.  Other Internet-security and backup and sharing plans also are available, and Mac-operating-system versions are available for both VISS and VOBS.  Plan details are available at http://surround.verizon.com/Shop/FeaturedOffers/Default.aspx.

"Students and their parents are always looking for the latest and hottest tools to help them get the most out of their education investments," said Peter Castleton, director for Verizon consumer product management and development.  "With the Verizon Internet Security and Backup and Sharing bundle, they can help protect those expensive laptops and priceless computer files for a monthly rate that's about the same as the price of a large pepperoni pizza.

"Along with a world-class online security suite powered by McAfee, students can take advantage of up to 250 GB of offsite file-storage capacity," Castleton added, "and the ability to share their photos, videos or other files with family, friends and classmates."

Accessible from any Internet connection, Verizon Online Backup & Sharing includes such enhanced features as:

• A Web-based multimedia player that allows users and designated guests to view stored photos, video and music from any broadband connection.
• A file-backup function that monitors changes in pre-selected files and directories on a user's computer and automatically sends updates to the user's VOBS account.
• A drag-and-drop function that allows users to store and access files on their computers at the same time the files are visible in the Web portal and can be accessed by guests.
• Automatic backups of files for Mac OS X 10.5 users and higher.
• The ability for users to access and manage their VOBS accounts with any Web-capable mobile device.

In addition to McAfee's powerful two-way firewall, anti-spam, anti-virus and anti-spyware protection tools, VISS service provides consumer and small-business customers with the following features:

• McAfee Active Protection™ technology – Provides customers immediate protection from threats by analyzing and blocking the threats within milliseconds of their arrival on customers' PCs, rather than waiting for scheduled threat updates.
• SiteAdvisor technology – An award-winning website safety adviser that helps customers search and conduct online transactions by providing color-coded safety ratings for websites, warning customers of risky sites that could jeopardize their privacy and their home or business computer, and helping them search and conduct online transactions more safely.
• Network Manager – Detects new devices and alerts the customer when those devices connect to their home network.
• McAfee Shredder technology – Lets customers effectively remove all traces of confidential files from their computers.
• Protection Updates – Provides continuous, automatic updates and upgrades to protect customers from fast-moving Internet threats.

The bundle offer is available to Verizon broadband customers that have either Windows or Mac operating systems and who are ordering VISS and VOBS for the first time.  Further information regarding VISS and VOBS, as well as several offers for bundles of Verizon Internet, TV and phone services, is available at Verizon.com.

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 mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 92 million customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $107 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon