BALTIMORE, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 5,000 additional Maryland consumers and businesses in Cecil and Queen Anne's counties now have access to Verizon High Speed Internet (HSI) service, allowing them to quickly download movies, share photos or video with friends and family, and create their own Internet content.

Verizon recently installed High Speed Internet equipment, based on digital subscriber line (DSL) technology, along Bayview and Revelation roads in North East, and along Castle Marina and Old Love Point roads and Schooner Parkway in Stevensville.

"Verizon is enabling more residents and businesses across Maryland to make the high-speed connections that are important to them," said Mary Ellen Payne, Verizon's senior vice president of marketing for the Potomac region. "Verizon's investment in Cecil and Queen Anne's counties means that more customers have access to affordable High Speed Internet service, backed by the reliability and security of Verizon's network."

Verizon High Speed Internet service is delivered on a dedicated line from Verizon's central switching office to the customer's home or business and is backed by live, 24 x 7 customer service and technical support. The service typically is available to residents and businesses that are located within approximately three miles of the company's central switching offices.

"We have some great promotional offers in place right now for new customers, so this is the perfect time to sign up for Verizon High Speed Internet service," said Payne.

Verizon's entry-level High Speed Internet service offers speeds of up to 1 Mbps* (megabit per second) downstream and 384 Kbps (kilobits per second) upstream. Consumers who want faster speed can order Verizon's offering of up to 3 Mbps downstream and 768 Kbps upstream. The up-to-3 Mbps service delivers download speeds 50 times faster than dial-up.

Consumers can take advantage of some great offers on residential bundles of voice, HSI and DIRECTV® service. New customers can order a triple-play bundle with up to 3 Mbps High-Speed Internet, DIRECTV®PLUS DVR package and Freedom Essentials (unlimited local and long-distance calling) for just $75 per month for the first three months.** HSI is free for three months, providing a value-packed bundle at a rate unmatched in the market. Included in that price are 200 all-digital channels, a free DVR upgrade, SHOWTIME® for one year, and thousands of free Verizon Wi-Fi hot spots. Pricing in months four through 12 is only $99.99 per month** for the 3 Mbps HSI service. Double-play bundles with new 3 Mbps High Speed Internet download speeds are also eligible for the special three-months-free HSI offer.

In addition to the value-priced bundles, Verizon currently has a six-months-free HSI promotion that includes a free modem for new Verizon HSI customers. Prices begin at $19.99 per month for 1 Mbps and $29.99 per month for 3 Mbps HSI service with a one-year agreement.

Consumers can get more information about Verizon's High Speed Internet service by visiting www.verizon.com or by calling 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966). For information about Verizon Small Business HSI service and bundles, visit smallbusiness.verizon.com or call 1-888-481-0387.

Verizon High Speed Internet service is the company's most popular and most widely available broadband data service, available to more than 25 million households in parts of 24 states and the District of Columbia.

According to PC Magazine's 2008 readers' survey, Verizon High Speed Internet beat the average cable provider's score in reliability, the likelihood of a customer choosing an Internet service provider, as well as the associated costs and fees for the service.

Verizon HSI customers also receive access to an extensive portfolio of value-added services, including 250 MB (megabytes) of free Verizon Online Backup and Sharing, which provides useful disaster-recovery support.

The company's popular Verizon Internet Security Suite (VISS) provides comprehensive online protection from spyware and viruses for as little as $5.99 a month. Advance Protection also includes a firewall, parental control, pop-up blocker and privacy manager software to help keep customers safe from hackers and phishing attacks.

Customers also can obtain a combination offer of Verizon Online Backup and Sharing and Verizon Internet Security Suite for $8.99 per month.

VISS also is the winner of the Info Security Products Guide's 2009 Global Product Excellence in Internet Security Solutions Customer Trust Award, which recognizes VISS as one of the best products for Internet security worldwide.

Verizon also offers its broadband customers free parental controls through VISS and has launched a Parental Control Center offering tips and tools for parents on how to protect their children when they're online. The center features simple downloading of the parental-control software and tutorials on subjects such as social networking and safe surfing for kids. Links are available to Web sites for organizations like WiredSafety, the largest cybersafety organization, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Cyber Tipline. The center is available at www.verizon.net/parentalcontrol.

In addition, customers can protect their home-entertainment and communications investments by subscribing to a comprehensive suite of device protection plans such as Protection Pak Enhanced, which, in cases of a malfunction, covers the repair or replacement of all eligible computers, telephones and TVs in a customer's home, regardless of the device's place of purchase or age. Coverage is less than $1 a day.

* Internet speeds refer to the connection speed between the user's location and Verizon's central office. Actual surfing speeds will vary based on many factors and be lower than connection speed.

** Plus applicable taxes and fees.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: 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 more than 89 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 230,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon