Verizon Invested $642 Million in Pennsylvania's Communications Infrastructure in 2010

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- From Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, consumers and businesses are reaping the benefits of Verizon's continued significant communications and computing infrastructure investment in the Keystone State.  The company invested $642 million in its Pennsylvania landline communications network and IT infrastructure in 2010.  

"Verizon is a leading communications, broadband and entertainment company in Pennsylvania, helping to fuel the commonwealth's sustained economic development through aggressive investment in the latest technology for consumers and businesses," said Gale Y. Given, president of Verizon Pennsylvania.  "From the smallest home to the largest business, Verizon's networks and technology touch lives, and our substantial investments benefit our customers, employees, suppliers and communities."

Verizon's major landline infrastructure programs last year included:

• Continued deployment of the company's award-winning, 100 percent fiber-optic FiOS TV and FiOS Internet services.  In 2010, Verizon extended FiOS service to more customers in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas, with the services available to more than 1.4 million Pennsylvania homes and businesses at year's end.
• Enhancements that further differentiate FiOS services from the competition.  FiOS TV provides a host of innovative, interactive features including an advanced interactive media guide; social TV, news, sports and entertainment widgets; DVR management via broadband or cell phone; multi-room Home Media DVR; and more.  In 2010, Verizon:
  • Launched Flex View, which enables FiOS TV customers to take on-demand video programming outside of the home and view it on various portable devices, including a growing number of compatible smartphones, tablets and laptops.
  • Revved up FiOS Internet speeds to 150 megabits per second for downloading and 35 Mbps for uploading – the fastest mass-market speeds in the country.
• Deployment of Verizon High Speed Internet service (using DSL technology) to additional rural communities in Pennsylvania, providing nearly 20,000 residents and businesses in these areas another – and in many cases the first – choice for their broadband service.  Verizon also made available to many Pennsylvania customers a new speed tier of HSI service with download speeds at 10 to 15 megabits per second.
• Deployment of fiber-optic links to wireless providers' cell sites throughout Pennsylvania as these carriers expand their infrastructure to meet ever-growing demand for wireless broadband and advanced 4G services.  In 2010, Verizon deployed fiber optics to connect 881 of these sites.  

Verizon Business provides secure global information technology and communications services to many medium- to large-business and government customers throughout Pennsylvania. In 2010, the unit launched the Verizon Mobile Services Enablement Platform to support the development of enterprise mobility applications.  In addition, Verizon Business continued to implement its "everything-as-a-service" strategy, introducing new cloud computing solutions, such as Verizon UC&C with Microsoft Online Services, a new unified communications solution and Verizon Computing as a Service, SMB, a pay-as-you-go online cloud service for small and medium businesses.  In addition, security offerings and a host of industry-specific innovations were unveiled, including:  

• ICSA Labs, an independent division of Verizon Business based in Mechanicsburg, founded the Endpoint Security Consortium to help the industry test and certify enterprise endpoint security products.  Charter members include AVG, McAfee and Microsoft.
• GWR Medical's selection of Verizon Computing as a Service, the company's cloud-based computing solution.  The service helped transform the Chadds Ford-based company's IT operations.
• The Verizon Health Information Exchange, a new service that will consolidate clinical patient data from health care providers and translate it into a standardized format that can be securely accessed over the Web, regardless of the IT systems the providers use.  The Vantage HGT Regional Health Information Organization, an Erie-based group comprised of six northwestern Pennsylvania hospitals serving nearly 2.3 million residents, will use the Verizon-provided platform.

"Verizon's continued robust network and IT investment is driving the next generation of cloud computing services, which will benefit consumers and businesses alike by making new capabilities available to anyone, anywhere at the touch of a fingertip -- on a laptop, smartphone or tablet computer," said Given.  

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 94.1 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 employs a diverse workforce of more than 194,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion.  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 e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

SOURCE Verizon