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Verizon Brings High Speed Internet to Mass. Communities

October 7, 2008

By Jennifer Hull

Verizon has announced the launch of its high speed Internet service to consumers and businesses in most areas of Hancock and New Ashford, making a total of 24 western Massachusetts communities now receiving high speed Internet through Verizon. Previously, none of these areas had broadband access.

Verizon Invests an Additional $200 Million in Massachusetts Network

Earlier this month, Verizon introduced the service in the western Massachusetts communities of Blandford, Becket, Colrain, Cummington, Florida, Goshen, Middlefield, Monroe, Montgomery, New Marlborough, Plainfield, Rowe, Sandisfield, Tolland, Washington, and Worthington. The project is completely funded by Verizon, which is investing an additional $200 million in Massachusetts this year to expand its broadband network.

Verizon High Speed Internet Offers 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. By year's end, Cupelo said, Verizon plans to also make the service available in Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Pelham, Westhampton, and Windsor and to make the service more widely available in Shutesbury. When the work is completed, 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.

"We are proud to be able to bring the benefits of broadband Internet service to consumers in Hancock and New Ashford, 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."