Verizon is bringing one of the most significant advancements in telecommunications technology in the past 100 years to more of its customers in western Pennsylvania.

The company is expanding its all-digital, fiber-optic network upgrade that will deliver crystal-clear voice service and the company's FiOS (FYE'-ose) services - much higher broadband Internet speeds and a full suite of video services in the future - to residence and small-business customers. Verizon has begun implementing its plan to upgrade its fiber-network in Braddock Hills, Carnegie, Churchill, East Liberty, Edgewood, Forest Hills, Franklin Township, Heidelberg, Imperial, Penn Hills, Pennsbury, Plum Boro, Rossyln Farms, Swissvale, Verona and Wilkinsburg.

Verizon is currently constructing fiber-to-the-premises, or FTTP, networks in more than half the states where it offers landline communications services, including more than 120 communities in Pennsylvania. Verizon is the first company to connect homes and businesses directly to fiber optics on a widespread scale.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime transformation of the communications network serving the Pittsburgh area," said William B. Petersen, president of Verizon Pennsylvania. "We are building the communications network of the future to provide customers unmatched network reliability, incredible speed and exciting new options for voice, data and video connections.

"Our FTTP project will help stimulate economic development and enhance western Pennsylvania as a great place to live and do business."

The company will seek a franchise agreement from the local authority before offering video service in a selected community.

To help build the network across the country, Verizon has hired between 3,000 and 5,000 new employees in the past year, including hundreds in Pennsylvania.

Customer reaction to Verizon's new fiber-based broadband Internet service, called FiOS Internet Service, has been very positive, with the average subscriber penetration rate at 9 percent in markets where Verizon has been selling FiOS data services for at least six months. FiOS Internet Service is already available in dozens of Pennsylvania communities. Customers who want to determine whether they can order FiOS also can call 888-GET FIOS (888-438-3467) or visit Verizon's FiOS Web site at www.verizon.net/fios.

"FiOS has been an extraordinary hit with our first customers. People are literally lining up to get what they know is a fantastic service at an excellent price," said Petersen.

There are three tiers of Verizon FiOS Internet Service for consumers, with downstream (download) speeds of up to 5, 15 and 30 Mbps (megabits per second).*

• 5 Mbps downstream and 2 Mbps upstream. Suited for Internet surfing and basic computer functions. $34.95 a month with a one-year agreement or $39.95 a month stand-alone.
• 15 Mbps downstream and 2 Mbps upstream. Appealing for families that have multiple computers and various needs such as multi-media and the ability to access and send large files. $44.95 a month with a one-year agreement or $49.95 a month stand-alone.
• 30 Mbps downstream and 5 Mbps upstream. Designed for communications-intensive power users with significant bandwidth needs, such as telecommuters or work-at-home households and avid online gamers. $179.95 a month with a one-year agreement or $199.95 a month stand-alone.

The FTTP initiative represents a natural extension of the more than 10 million miles of fiber-optic cable Verizon already has in place and extends the high capacity, speed and quality of fiber directly to the customer's doorstep. With FTTP technology, Verizon can easily add more capacity, higher speeds or video services in the future.

Verizon's digital subscriber line (DSL) service will remain the company's most widely available form of high-speed Internet access for the foreseeable future while the company ramps up FTTP deployment. The company offers DSL on a widespread basis throughout Pennsylvania.