Verizon FiOS continues creating the ultimate broadband and home-entertainment experience by introducing on Monday, June 22 new, faster broadband speeds - both downstream and upstream - for the most popular FiOS Internet services. The company is also offering compelling incentives for consumers to subscribe to FiOS. New customers who order qualifying FiOS bundles are eligible for a free Compaq Mini netbook or a Flip Ultra camcorder.

Verizon is doubling-to-quadrupling the upstream connection speeds and increasing the downstream connection speeds of its most popular FiOS Internet offerings. The company has raised the connection speed of its entry-level FiOS Internet service from 10/2 megabits per second (Mbps) to 15/5 Mbps, and has raised the connection speed of its flagship, mid-tier offering from 20/5 Mbps to 25/15 Mbps. In New York City, on Long Island and in other New York City suburbs, FiOS Internet is even faster with a new entry-level connection speed of 25/15 Mbps, and a new mid-tier offering of 35/20 Mbps, available only in bundles.

According to a survey of residential broadband users in the U.S. by the market intelligence firm In-Stat ("US Broadband Speeds on the Rise," In-Stat, Feb. 2009), the average upstream connection speed used by cable broadband customers is 2.68 Mbps. Verizon is offering speeds two-to-seven times faster than this typical cable upload speed.

Using a 20 Mbps upstream broadband connection, a consumer could upload 200 photos in about 90 seconds, a 20-minute high-def video in less than 7 minutes and a one-hour HD movie in about 20 minutes.

New Promotion Provides Powerful Incentives

To encourage even more customer defections from cable to FiOS TV and Internet services, Verizon has also launched a compelling new promotional offer that runs through Aug. 15.

New customers who sign up for a triple bundle that consists of FiOS Internet with a connection speed of 25/15 Mbps or higher, FiOS TV Extreme HD service and FiOS Essentials voice service will receive their choice of a free Compaq Mini netbook* valued at $299.99 (customer only pays shipping, handling and taxes) or a free Flip Ultra camcorder, valued at $149.99.

New customers who order a triple bundle that consists of FiOS Internet with a connection speed of 15/5 Mbps or higher, FiOS TV Essentials service and Freedom Essentials voice service will receive a free Flip Ultra camcorder, or they can opt to purchase a Compaq Mini netbook for just $99.99.

Verizon also announced on Monday the continuation of its price guarantee for stand-alone, DSL-based High Speed Internet -- and a similar camcorder and netbook incentive offer for customers. See companion news release for more details.

FiOS Internet also provides a gateway to other valuable Verizon services, including a suite of Internet security measures, premium technical support and backup and sharing.

Bundle pricing varies by market and starts at $99.99 for triple bundles and $79.99 for double bundles. Both double and triple bundles require a one-year service agreement; however, customers will receive a two-year price guarantee.

Features of the Compaq Mini netbook include:

• 10.1-inch diagonal widescreen display.
• Lightweight, one-inch-thick design that conveniently fits in backpack, briefcase or purse.
• Intel Atom processor.
• Windows XP Home operating system.

Features of the Flip Ultra camcorder include:

• Pocket-size design with one-touch recording and digital zoom.
• Up to 120 minutes of high-quality video.
• 4GB of built-in memory.
• Two-inch anti-glare screen.
• Built-in USB arm for direct connection to PC or Mac.
• Pre-loaded FlipShare software that allows easy video organizing, editing and e-mailing, along with simple upload to social media sites such as YouTube and MySpace