Verizon Launches Broadband Service in Mass. Communities

September 16, 2008

By Nora Gray

Verizon has announced its High Speed Internet service is now available in most parts of Colrain, Plainfield, and Worthington, the most recent of 24 western Massachusetts communities who will now have access to broadband service for the first time. Earlier this month, Verizon introduced the service in Blandford, Becket, Cummington, Florida, Goshen, Middlefield, New Marlborough, Sandisfield, Tolland, and Washington. The project is completely funded by Verizon, which is investing an additional $200 million in Massachusetts this year to expand its broadband network.

Verizon Expects to Bring High Speed Internet to Communities without Broadband

"We are proud to be able to bring the benefits of broadband Internet service to consumers in these communities and soon to thousands more consumers in western Massachusetts," said Donna C. Cupelo, Verizon region president for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. "Verizon's investments in Massachusetts have been and will continue to be a major contributor to growing the state's economy." By year-end, Cupelo said, Verizon expects to also make High Speed Internet available in Hancock, Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Monroe, Montgomery, New Ashford, Pelham, Rowe, Westhampton, and Windsor, and to make the service more widely available in Shutesbury.

Verizon expects High Speed Internet service will be available to 70 percent of the company's customer lines, on average, in the 24 towns. The new broadband deployment of Verizon's High Speed Internet network will reach three-fourths of the western Massachusetts communities identified by the state as having no high-speed broadband services.

Verizon High Speed Internet Delivers Download Speeds of 768 Kbps

Verizon's High Speed Internet service will give users the ability to download at speeds of 768 Kbps (kilobits per second), 21 times faster than the current dial-up capability. The service is delivered on a dedicated line from Verizon's central office to the customer's home and is backed by live, 24/7 customer service and technical support. High Speed Internet subscribers have access to an extensive collection of features and services, including online protection with Verizon Internet Security Suite; Verizon Enhanced Email; Verizon Premium Tech Support; Online gaming; free news from ABC News Now; free sports from ESPN360; and more.