Verizon Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Business Broadband Customers, J.D. Power and Associates Study Says

NEW YORK - Verizon's broadband business services earned top scores in the J. D. Power and Associates 2004 Major Provider Business Telecommunications Services Study^sm just released.

In the broadband data segment, Verizon's business broadband services ranked highest overall, with highest scores in three areas: performance and reliability, billing, and sales team performance. This segment includes services such as DSL, cable modem, ISDN, T-1, Ethernet, videoconferencing services and dedicated Internet access (less than DS-3) that are typically used by small and medium-sized businesses.

In the high-end data segment, typically covering commercial and public-sector customers, Verizon ranked highest overall and earned the highest scores for five parameters: sales team performance, billing, image, offerings and promotions, and cost of service. This segment includes services such as frame relay, ATM, Internet protocol virtual private network and other packet and cell technologies.

"Over the past three years, we have focused on making it easier for our customers to interact with Verizon by increasing our sales coverage, expanding the reach of our network, increasing its reliability, and upgrading and deploying new systems and processes to provide excellent customer service," said Eduardo R. Menascé, president, Verizon Enterprise Solutions Group. "These results underscore the positive impact of our investments and solidify Verizon's standing as a leading provider of communications services in the enterprise space."

According to J. D. Power and Associates, the 2004 Major Provider Business Telecommunications Services Study is based on responses from more than 4,700 U.S. businesses of all sizes (from two to more than 500 employees) and evaluates their data and voice service providers. For more information on the study, visit jdpower.com or the J.D. Power and Associates press release at: http://www.jdpower.com/news/releases/pressrelease.asp?ID=2004141M.

"This ranking reflects a customer-satisfaction strategy at work," said Kathy Koelle, senior vice president for business solutions sales and marketing for Verizon. "In our effort to create the best value in business broadband services, Verizon is putting together the right combination of exemplary customer service, the right products to meet customer needs as they evolve, and a reliable network to support business applications -- all at a price that won't impede their growth.

"We pride ourselves on offering a wide range of business products and services. This variety, ranging from dial tone to DSL to complex ATM networks, enables Verizon to support the needs of our business clients as they evolve, and their businesses grow," said Koelle.

To learn more about Verizon's broadband offerings, small and medium-sized business, can go to www.verizon.com/data. Large commercial and public-sector entities can go to www.verizon.com/enterprisesolutions.

Verizon Communications

A Dow 30 company, Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services, with approximately $68 billion in annual revenues. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world, as measured by directory titles and circulation. Verizon's international presence includes wireline and wireless communications operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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DSL service generally is available to homes and offices located within approximately three miles of Verizon's local switching center or "central office." Some technical limitations may interfere with the ability of individual telephone lines to get DSL, even when the lines are within three miles of a DSL-equipped central office.