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NEW ON VERIZON FiOS: MORE COMMUNITIES, MORE CUSTOMERS FREE TO SWITCH FROM CABLE
FiOS TV Approved for More Communities. The New York Public Service Commission confirmed two more Verizon cable franchises in March, authorizing Verizon to provide FiOS TV to residents in theCity of Long Beach, in Nassau County, and the Town of Poughkeepsie, in Dutchess County. Verizon now has 147 video franchises in New York State.
Yonkers: Verizon Retail Store Now Open for FiOS Services. Verizon's new Yonkers FiOS store opened with a ceremony and ribbon cutting on March 7th. Verizon welcomed Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone, State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Yonkers City Council President Chuck Lesnick, and Councilwoman Pat McDow. While the band from the Nepperhan Community Center provided entertainment, more than 100 visitors viewed the newly designed store, complete with a family-room. This setting lets shoppers experience the full power of FiOS at home. Shoppers also can order the full suite of FiOS voice, Internet, and TV, along with other communications tools to enhance and simplify life at home or on the go. (left) Verizon Government and External Affairs Director, John Butler; Verizon Customer Service Supervisor, Aaron Rodgers; Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone; (right) The Nepperhan Community Center Band.
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VERIZON WIRELESS: MORE SERVICES FOR MORE CUSTOMERS
Albany: Saratoga and Washington County Residents to Benefit from VZW Network Expansions. In a continuing effort to provide the best wireless service for local residents in Saratoga and Washington Counties, Verizon Wireless has expanded its network with new cell sites in Middle Grove and Greenwich. Services now available to customers in those areas include wireless data services such as picture messaging, text messaging, V CAST and V CAST Music with Rhapsody, ESPN MVP and Mobile Broadband, the company's high-speed wireless broadband network geared toward mobile professionals and business customers.
New York: New Technology Available for Verizon Wireless Customers who are Blind or Visually Impaired. Verizon Wireless recently announced the availability of TALKSTM a new assistive technology that converts displayed text into highly intelligible speech for Verizon Wireless customers who are blind or visually impaired. Available initially on MOTOTM Q 9c smartphones as of March 15th, TALKS for Verizon Wireless supports audio feedback for writing and reading text messages, e-mail and notes. "The TALKS application helps Verizon Wireless provide the best wireless experience for our customers who are visually impaired," said Jeffrey Dietel, Verizon Wireless Vice President Marketing Operations. "TALKS for Verizon Wireless turns the MOTOTM Q 9c Smartphone into a communications tool that will help customers with impaired vision stay connected to family, friends and colleagues through methods beyond voice calls." Customers can learn more about TALKS for Verizon Wireless by visiting www.verizonwireless.com/accessibility.
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VERIZON IN THE COMMUNITY
New Rochelle: The College of New Rochelle School of Nursing Receives Verizon Grantfor Innovative Telenursing Program. On March 18th, Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston presented the College of New Rochelle School of Nursing with a substantial grant that will support the school's telenursing pilot program, making the School of Nursing one of the first to incorporate telenursing into its curriculum. With the support of new technology using Internet connections, video, voice and data communication telemonitoring, students will be trained to communicate with clients or caregivers from their home. According to the Dean of the School of Nursing, Dr Mary Alice Donius, "Verizon's generosity will allow our students to master critical skills through telenursing hands-on technology thus directly addressing the critical nursing shortage by enabling them to offer future clients greater and more immediate access to healthcare." Pictured below: (l-r) Verizon Government and External Affairs Executive Director, Tom McCarroll; College of New Rochelle Dean of the School of Nursing, Dr. Mary Alice Donius; Verizon Retiree, Isabel Reithebuch; President Verizon Foundation, Patrick Gaston; Verizon Government and External Affairs Director, John Butler.
New Rochelle: Verizon Provides Grant to American Red Cross: On February 23rd, Verizon presented a grant to the American Red Cross during its annual Power of Humanity Celebration. The grant will assist the American Red Cross in its Westchester County initiatives, supporting local literacy and mentoring programs geared towards the minority youth, as well as aiding the Red Cross in its worldwide relief efforts.
Buffalo: Verizon Participates in Buffalo Area Lobbying Day. Verizon joined Buffalo-area business leaders and union officials as they came together on Lobbying Day in Albany to address the executive budget, taxes and other issues of concern to the community. Buffalo area State Senators Antoine Thompson (D) and Bill Stachowski (D) addressed the executive budget, nuisance taxes and the increased assessments on telecommunications companies that have demonstrated the profound tax disparity between Verizon and the cable companies. State Assemblyman Robin Schimminger (D) was also on hand at the Legislative Office Building in Albany to greet the visitors from the Buffalo area. Pictured below: (l-r) Assemblyman Robin Schimminger; Verizon Government and External Affairs Director, Maureen Rasp-Glose.
New York City: Verizon Commended For Top-Notch Service in New York City. The New York State Public Service Commission recently announced that it will issue letters of commendation to 54 of 75 local telephone companies throughout the state for providing excellent service to customers in 2008. Four of 11 operating divisions for Verizon New York - Bronx, North Manhattan, South Manhattan and Queens - were commended. "The Commission's standards help ensure all New York residents and businesses benefit from having access to an exceedingly high level of telecommunications technology and service," said Commissioner Chairman Garry Brown. "The companies commended have exceeded the state's high standards for service quality and deserve the acknowledgement of the Commission for providing excellent service to their customers." The commendations for excellent service are based on telephone companies' performance in relation to service quality standards established by the Commission.
Melville: Verizon Sponsors Green IT Conference. On February 24th, Verizon was one of the distinguished panelists at the Long Island Software & Technology Network (LISTnet)forumon Green IT. Verizon Director, Susan Hayes, was one of the main forum presenters, providing an overview on Verizon's Green IT initiatives - broadband deployment and information technology. Verizon also detailed some of the ways that we are addressing the current world wide energy challenges, through the use of alternate sources of energy to power our network and our fleet. Pictured below: Verizon Government and External Affairs Director, Susan Hayesaddressing the audience.
New York: Verizon Sponsors Robotics and LegoCompetition. On March 7th and 8th, the Jacob Javits Convention Center was filled with excitement as over 170 teams competed in the 2009 First RoboticsCompetition (FRC) and the First Lego League (FLL) Competition. Verizon sponsored four of the teams - Stuyvesant High School, Westinghouse High School Girls and Boys teams and University Neighborhood High School - in a competition that combined skills, science, technology and sports. Verizon was also one of the sponsors of the First Lego League competition. FLL challenges younger students to research, offer solution to a real world problem and then construct a robot that will help address that problem. Although the FRC and FLL students devoted a tremendous amount of time and preparation to their robots, they all had a lot of fun competing, and had a great learning experience as well.
New York: The National Association for Female Executives Names Verizon to its List of 2009 NAFE Top 50 Companies for Executive Women. The National Association for Female Executives ("NAFE"), which spotlights corporations with practices and employment records that benefit women and encourage their advancement to top management positions, has named Verizon to its list of 2009 Top 50 Companies for Executive Women. For this year's Top 50 Companies list, NAFE examined each company's corporate programs and policies dedicated to advancing women as well as the number of women in each company overall, in senior management and on the company"s board of directors. NAFE drew particular attention to the number of women with profit-and-loss responsibility. "Companies that have women contributing their perspective and expertise to the actual running of the business not only are the ones that will survive our economic crisis, they will emerge from it as leaders in the global economy," said NAFE CEO Carol Evans.
Troy: Verizon Foundation Funding Supports Innovative Curriculum at Tech Valley High School In an effort to increase student interest in math and science in our high schools, the Verizon Foundation provided a grant to help fund SENSE IT, which is a pilot program launched by students from Tech Valley High School. Applying their science know-how, the Tech Valley Students successfully constructed water sensors that will gather data and monitor the water temperature in the river in the Capital region. Supporters of the program hope that the students' experience of applying lessons from school to the real world will inspire them to pursue careers in fields of science, engineering and technology.
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EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Peter Cruz is Verizon New York's "Employee of the Month" for his outstanding contributions to his community.
Peter is the Area Manager for Queens, where he is responsible for Network Operations covering 16 Verizon Central Offices in the Borough. With a team of six managers and 115 technicians, Peter is responsible for keeping our vast telecommunications network humming in Queens day and night. Recently, Peter oversaw the upgrade of our Queens E911 switch, which is scheduled to be turned-up by the end of March.
Despite his heavy workload and long work hours, Peter has been an active member of his community for many years. Peter has been an avid volunteer because he enjoys helping children and families.
Throughout his 12 years of service with Verizon, Peter has dedicated his free time to the New York City public schools and to drug abuse prevention efforts in Brooklyn. Today, he volunteers with the Greenpoint YMCA. This is a special mission for Peter - service to the Y allows him to give back to his community and to spend more time with his daughter, who is enrolledin the facility's Kids in Control after-school program.
The YMCA of Greater New York believes Peter is a perfect match for its organization. The Y has formally recognized Peter and the contribution he has made in naming him "Parent Volunteer of the Year." Peter will be honored by the YMCA of Greater New York later this year at a ceremony and dinner recognizing its outstanding volunteers. Congratulations Peter!
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