Verizon customers in Holliston and Reading now can experience breathtaking high-speed Internet access as the company begins to offer its Verizon FiOS (FYE’-ose) suite of services to homes here.

Verizon is rolling out the industry’s premier consumer broadband services to most of its customers in this community, as well as at least 25 other communities in eastern Massachusetts.



Verizon is delivering FiOS services over its new fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network, which the company is currently building in portions of Massachusetts and 13 other states. The company will announce FiOS Internet service in other areas as it becomes available.

FTTP technology utilizes fiber-optic connections – instead of copper wire – directly into homes and businesses to enable a broad array of voice, data and video applications. In addition to its current FiOS Internet access service, Verizon plans to launch FiOS TV in 2005 to compete directly with cable TV providers. FiOS TV will be available in markets where Verizon has negotiated cable franchise agreements with local authorities.

“FiOS is setting the new standard for consumer broadband services in America,” said. Bob Ingalls, president of Verizon’s Retail Markets Group. “Our customers who already subscribe to FiOS services are astounded at what they now can do with their online experience. Video chats and conferencing, purchased digital movie downloads and interactive multi-player games have become a part of their daily lives.”

Customer reaction to Verizon’s new fiber-based Internet access service has been very positive, with broadband subscribers already more than doubling in the company’s inaugural FiOS market of Keller, Texas, just outside Dallas/Fort Worth.

Ingalls added that Verizon is using the most advanced technology to deliver downstream and upstream speeds that will give customers truly interactive, two-way broadband capabilities.

“The Internet is an increasingly interactive place where quickly sending information is just as important as quickly receiving it,” Ingalls said. “From uploading multi-megabyte e-mails with photo attachments, to interacting with the office from home, FiOS gives customers unprecedented speed, efficiency and productivity at very competitive prices.”

“In addition to an outstanding array of high-speed access options, we will provide our customers with a first-class installation experience, in which a Verizon technician visits the home, sets up the connection and configures the service,” said Ingalls.

FiOS services now are available to many Verizon customers in the 508 area code whose phone numbers have the prefixes 429 and 893, and to customers in the 781 area code with the prefixes 282, 509, 649, 670, 673, 677, 758, 764, 765, 942, and 944. Customers who want to determine whether they can order FiOS Internet service can call 888-GET FIOS (888-438-3467) or visit Verizon’s FiOS Web site at www.verizon.net/fios.