Verizon To Enhance DSL Service Offerings

Verizon will boost DSL speeds and add Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to its consumer bundles this year as it looks to sustain its broadband momentum.

Building on momentum from a record DSL sales quarter, Verizon will spur its home broadband growth by offering an additional higher-speed DSL service to consumers this summer and by developing new service packages that include residential voice-over-Internet-protocol (VoIP) services.

“We’ve created one of the best overall values in broadband today, with content, speed, and great service at a very affordable price,” said Judy Verses, senior vice president – marketing for Verizon’s Retail Markets Group. “Our sales growth shows that when consumers in the mass market think about broadband, more and more often they’re choosing DSL for their high-speed connection. And we’re not stopping now.”

Faster DSL speeds are coming this summer when Verizon Online plans to add a new, additional tier of consumer DSL service with a maximum connection speed of 3Mbps/768Kbps for qualified customers. In addition, when Verizon introduces its consumer VoIP service this quarter, the company will provide it to qualifying Verizon Online DSL customers at a discount.

“Fifty-one percent of Verizon’s residential customers have purchased local calling in combination with either Verizon long-distance or Verizon DSL, or both,” said Verses. “Our ability to offer customers a compelling array of local, long-distance, wireless, broadband and video services is unmatched by our cable competitors. Expanding our DSL service will allow us to offer even more innovative packages that include services like voice over IP.”

Pricing for the higher-speed DSL service and VoIP package will be announced later. Verses said that, like all Verizon Online DSL offerings, pricing for these services will be highly competitive.

This quarter Verizon Online will triple to 384Kbps the upstream speed of its basic DSL offering for qualifying customers. The price for this 1.5Mbps/384Kbps service will remain the same as the current 1.5Mbps/128Kbps service — $34.95 a month for stand-alone service or $29.95 a month when purchased as part of a package of local and long-distance calling services.