INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon has boosted access to its fast, affordable DSL broadband service throughout the Great Lakes region with technology upgrades to 467 of the company's network switching centers.

By extending the reach of its DSL service within 82 communities it serves in Illinois, 61 in Indiana, 49 in Michigan, 145 in Ohio and 52 in Wisconsin, Verizon is bringing more than 36,000 more consumers a new, competitive choice in broadband. (Editors note: a complete list of the 389 communities is included at the end of this release.)

"The introduction of upgraded technology to the Verizon networks in the Great Lakes allows thousands of our customers who have not had access to DSL in the past to now join the millions of Americans who have already chosen it as their high-speed connection to the Internet," said Gale Given, Verizon Great Lakes region president. "We are excited about offering more people a new choice for fast Internet access at an affordable price, with a multitude of services that will help them get the most from their broadband connection."

Verizon has upgraded its DSL technology in more than 1,300 switching centers in 14 states: California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.

Consumers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin can visit http://www.verizon.net/dsl to see if Verizon Online DSL is available to their homes and to order service. Customers who go online to order consumer DSL service with an annual service plan can choose from a maximum connection speed of up to 3.0 Mbps (megabits per second) downstream and 768 Kbps (kilobits per second) upstream for $29.99 per month, or a maximum connection speed of up to 768 Kbps downstream and 128 Kbps upstream for just $19.99 per month.

Both plans include 24/7 technical support, a 30-day money-back guarantee, a choice of free Verizon Yahoo! or MSN Premium services, nine e-mail accounts and 10 MB (megabytes) of personal Web space.

Verizon Online DSL members can make the most of their high-speed connections through access to a variety of great online experiences, including the most extensive collection of online content anywhere from Disney and ESPN Networks. This programming includes live breaking news from ABC News Now, family games and entertainment with Disney Connection, sports action and exclusive game broadcasts from ESPN360, full-screen film trailers and movie news from Movies.com MAX, and original soap opera programming and soap news from SOAPNETIC.

Verizon Online DSL customers also have access to a variety of NFL Network programs, including weekly previews of NFL Network games and off-season programming.

Verizon also has a number of DSL plans that offer excellent value for business customers, with maximum connection speeds ranging from up to 768 Kbps/128 Kbps to up to 7.1 Mbps/768 Kbps. For more information on business DSL offerings, visit http://www.verizon.com/.

Verizon Communications Inc. , a New York-based Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving nearly 57 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which operates one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks, and Verizon Telecom, which is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers. For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com/.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at http://www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

Verizon's DSL is now available to additional residents of the following 390 communities:

Illinois: Anna Durand Mackinaw Princeton Atlanta Eureka Macomb Roanoke Brookport Fairfield Maple Park Robinson Bloomington Flora Marion Rock Cut Bridgeport Forreston Marissa Roodhouse Bushnell Freeport Marshall Roscoe Carbondale Genoa Mendota Sesser Carlock Goreville Metropolis Shawneetown Carmi Harrisburg Minier Sparta Carriers Mills Henry Morton Stockton Carrollton Herrin Mossville Streator Carterville Heyworth Mount Carmel Sycamore Cedar Creek Hinckley Murphysboro Tremont Cherry Valley Hudson Olney Vienna Chillicothe Jacksonville Oregon Washington Clinton Kewanee Paris Waterman Cobden Kirkland Pecatonica West Frankfort Coulterville Lawrenceville Percy White Hall De Kalb Lena Pontiac Winchester De Soto Leroy Poplar Grove Downs Lincoln Princeville Indiana: Angola Frankton Logansport Spiceland Arlington Fremont Middlebury Sullivan Austin Fort Wayne Morristown Terre Haute Brazil Galveston Orleans Underwood Brookville Garrett Ossian Valparaiso Brownstown Goshen Paoli Versailles Carthage Greensburg Pendleton Wabash Centerville Hamilton Petersburg Walton Chesterton Harlan Portage Waterloo Churubusco Hobart Prairieton Westfield Claypool Huntertown Richmond Westville Connersville Kouts Rushville Winslow Delphi Lafayette Salem Zanesville Elkhart Lake Station Scipio Everton Laporte Scottsburg Farmland Laptingifail Seymour Michigan: Adrian Fruitpoint Mattawan Shepherd Allegan Gaylord Mendon South Haven Alma Gobles Mt. Pleasant St. Johns Alpena Grayling Muskegon St. Louis Blissfield Hart Ossineke Sturgis Cassopolis Hartford Owosso Three Rivers Clinton Hemlock Paw Paw Twin Lake Conklin Higgins Lake Pentwater Union City Coopersville Holton Ravenna Whitehall Dundee Howard City Saline Wolf Lake Durand Ithaca Saugatuck Dowagiac Lachine Schoolcraft Fennnville Ludington Shelby Ohio: Albany Dover Millbury Richmond Aldena Edon Mineral City Russellville Amanda Edgerton Minerva Portsmouth Amsterdam East Rochester Monroeville Republic Antwerp Farmersville Montpelier Rutland Arlington Fayette Montrose Sabina Ashland Felicity Mount Blanchard Sardinia Ashley Ft. Recovery Mt. Orab Scio Athens Garrettsville Nevada Sciotoville Attica Genoa New Boston Seaman Baltic Georgetown New Lebanon Seville Baltimore Gibsonburg New London Sharon Center Barlow Grafton New Philadelphia Smithfield Bergholtz Grand Rapids New Washington South Webster Berlin Gratis North Eaton Spencer Berlin Heights Greenwich North Fairfield Sylvania Bettsville Hammersville North Georgetown The Plains Beverly Hanoverton Norwalk Tiltonsville Blanchester Huron Oak Harbor Tipp City Bolivar Jackson Oak Hill Troy Bowerston Kilbourne Oberlin Trotwood Brookville Lakeville Ostrander Van Buren Brunswick Larue Oxford Wadsworth Bryan Laurelville Paris Wakeman Burbank Leesburg Payne Waldo Byesville Lewisburg Peebles Warsaw Cadiz Liberty Pemberville Waverly Cambridge Logan Perrysville Wayne Carey Loudonville Piketon Wellington Carrollton Lowell Pioneer West Alexandria Catawba Lucasville Pleasantville Weston Circleville Manchester Pomeroy Willard Coldwater Marblehead Polk Williamsport Convoy Martinsville Port Clinton Willshire Creston McCormic Racine Wilmington Curtice Mechanicsburg Winona Dillonvale Milan Wisconsin: Allenton Mishicot Antigo Oregon Belgium Oostburg Brillion Owen Belleville Pardeeville Brodhead Plymouth Brooklyn Portage Cambridge Reedsburg Campbellsport Sauk City Chilton Slinger Colby Sun Prairie Cottage Grove Spring Green Deerfield Spencer Eagle River Stratford Edgerton Three Lakes Elkhart Lake Tomahawk Hustisford Waterloo Kiel Waubeka Lac du Flambeau Wausau Lake Delton Westfield Lake Mills Wisconsin Dells Lodi Lomira Marathon Marshall Marshfield Mauston McFarland Merrill Minocqua Mineral Point

CONTACT: Bill Kula (Illinois and Ohio), +1-972-718-6924,
william.kula@verizon.com; Karen Boswell (Illinois), +1-309-663-3491,
karen.boswell@verizon.com; Bruce Childs (Indiana), +1-317-631-7182,
bruce.b.childs@verizon.com; John Van Wyck (Michigan), +1-231-727-1246,
john.vanwyck@verizon.com; Lou Ann Novak (Wisconsin), +1-715-847-1226,
louann.novak@verizon.com

Web site: http://www.verizon.com/

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