Verizon Business Joins Asia-Pacific Consortium to Build First Next-Generation Optical Cable Directly Linking U.S., China

Beijing (ots/PRNewswire) -

- 'Trans-Pacific Express' to Offer Greater Speed, Reliability and
Efficiency

Verizon Business today signed a construction and maintenance
agreement with a consortium that includes China Telecom and China
Netcom to build the first next-generation undersea optical cable
system directly linking the U.S. mainland and China.

The new system, to be named Trans-Pacific Express (TPE), will use
the latest optical technology to provide greater capacity and higher
speeds to meet the dramatic increase in demand for IP, data and voice
communications with the Asia-Pacific region.

The new fiber-optic cable can support the equivalent of 62 million
simultaneous phone calls, more than 60 times the overall capacity of
the existing cable directly linking the United States and China.

While TPE will initially provide capacity of up to 1.28 terabits
per second (Tbps), the system will have design capacity of up to 5.12
Tbps to support future Internet growth and advanced applications such
as video and e-commerce. In another first, individual customers can
access the cable system at wavelengths of up to 10 gigabits per
second (Gbps), the equivalent of nearly 121,000 simultaneous phone
calls.

Verizon Business is the only U.S.-based member among the initial
parties of the consortium, which consists of -- in addition to China
Telecom and China Netcom - China Unicom, Korea Telecom and Chunghwa
Telecom (Taiwan). The TPE cable also provides more diversity from
other undersea routes and more efficient connections to a number of
countries in Asia where Verizon Business has large business
customers.

"This state-of-the-art cable will support high-speed traffic to
the world's fastest-growing region -- the Asia-Pacific," said Fred
Briggs, Verizon Business executive vice president of operations and
technology. "Our leadership in this project builds on our important
existing relationships in China, further recognizes the emergence of
China as a diverse communications hub for Asia, and reflects our
company's commitment to help U.S. and other global companies compete
worldwide."

Construction of the new cable system, which will extend more than
18,000 kilometers, will begin in the first quarter of 2007.
Completion is scheduled in the third quarter of 2008. The project
represents an investment by consortium members of more than US$500
million.

"In addition to a diverse route directly to China, this cable will
add capacity and the higher-speed service customers are demanding,"
Briggs said. "We also will improve provisioning intervals and reduce
latency for traffic between the United States and many countries in
the region."

The cable will have a landing point provided by Verizon Business
at Nedonna Beach, Ore., on the U.S. West Coast and will land on the
China mainland at Qingdao and Chongming. TPE will also have landings
in Tanshui, Taiwan, and Keoje, South Korea.

Verizon Business already owns and operates one of the largest
global IP networks, spanning 150 countries across six continents with
more than 446,000 route miles. The company is involved in more than
65 submarine cable networks carrying mission-critical traffic for
multi-national customers worldwide. Recently, Verizon Business
deployed an advanced technology trans-Atlantic "mesh" network that
interconnects, or meshes, various existing cables, resulting in more
diverse routes and multiple millisecond restoration paths.

When completed, TPE will complement the company's capacity in
existing submarine cables in the Asia-Pacific region. It also
represents a continuation of the company's strategy to remain an
active leader in the development of submarine cable systems. Verizon
Business has ownership in more than 18 cable systems in the
Asia-Pacific region including: Japan-U.S., China-U.S., Southern Cross
(United States, New Zealand and Australia) and the new SEA-ME-WE-4
cable, put into service in December 2005, linking Europe and Asia.

About Verizon Business

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), is
a leading provider of advanced communications and information
technology (IT) solutions to large business and government customers
worldwide. Combining unsurpassed global network reach with advanced
technology and professional service capabilities, Verizon Business
delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers
around the world. For more information, visit
http://www.verizonbusiness.com.

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Contact:
Media: Gil Broyles, United States, +1-918-590-6820,
gilbert.a.broyles@verizon.com; or Faith Brewitt, Beijing/Hong Kong,
+1-852-2894-6321, faith.brewitt@hillandknowlton.com.hk; Company News
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