Internet & Technology

New York, NY--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--March 7, 2006--To communicate directly to and better serve the Hispanic community, particularly the Hispanic media, Verizon Communications launched its new Spanish-language online Web site, http://www.verizon.com/noticias. The site will enable visitors to access the latest company news and information. Journalists, especially, will find this site to be a rich resource, where they will be able to download Verizon’s media kits, b-roll footage and photographs, and sign up to automatically receive company news that has been translated into Spanish.

“At Verizon we know our customers have different backgrounds and are multi-ethnic,” said Jeff McFarland, director for multicultural marketing for Verizon. “For many of our customers, English is not their first language, and we are committed to serving all of our diverse customers.”

Alejandra Martínez, Hispanic marketing manager for Verizon, said, “We continue to develop stronger communication with our Spanish-speaking customers and the media, which help provide customers with editorial content and important news and information about Verizon.”

Visitors to http://www.verizon.com/noticias can find a variety of information on Verizon translated in Spanish. With information on Verizon’s newest products, such as FiOS TV and FiOS Internet and its popular DSL service, to corporate programs benefiting the Hispanic community, the new online Spanish-language Web site is suited for customers and journalists who wish to read the content in Spanish.

Verizon also provides telephone assistance in Spanish to help customers place orders for Verizon products and services, provide information and answer questions. For over a decade, Verizon has provided in-language sales representatives to support customers in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, and Vietnamese. Today, more than 1,000 employees staff 13 Verizon consumer multicultural sales and solution centers in various parts of the country, communicating with customers in their native languages.

Verizon has been a strong supporter of the Hispanic community and most recently joined the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and Scholastic, Inc. to launch Lee y serás(R) (Read and You Will Be), a national Latino early literacy initiative that engages parents and communities in the literacy development of their children. Since 2004, the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, has provided more than $24 million to programs and organizations that support the Hispanic community. For more information about Verizon in Spanish, visit http://www.verizon.com/noticias or visit http://www.verizon.com/espanol. For assistance in Spanish customers can call 800-743-2483 (West); 800-430-2222 (New England); 800-479-0305 (Pennsylvania and Delaware); 800-560-4652 (New Jersey); 212/718-890-2005 (New York); and (local area code) + 954-6250 (Maryland and West Virginia).

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), a Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other communication innovations to wireline and wireless customers. Verizon operates America’s most reliable wireless network, serving 51.3 million customers nationwide; one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks; and one of the nation’s premier wireline networks, serving home, business and wholesale customers. Based in New York, Verizon has a diverse workforce of approximately 250,000 and generates annual consolidated operating revenues of approximately $90 billion. 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.