MASN Signs Verizon to Broadcast Washington Nationals Games

New Verizon FiOS TV Service Will Carry Mid-Atlantic Sports Network to Area Fans in 2006

November 9, 2005, WASHINGTON --- Washington Nationals baseball fans will be able to watch next season’s games via fiber-optic television, which provides vivid pictures and sound, when Verizon brings its new FiOS TV service to parts of the Washington metro area. MASN, the television home of the Nationals in the mid-Atlantic region, has signed Verizon to be the fourth distributor to broadcast the team’s games in 2006.

“Verizon is putting the fans first by ensuring that its customers will be able to watch their home team play ball,” said Bob Whitelaw, executive vice president and general manager of MASN. “For the Nationals, for baseball, and most importantly for the fans, MASN applauds Verizon and their exceptional and responsible customer service.”

Said Terry Denson, vice president of programming and marketing for Verizon FiOS TV, “In every FiOS TV market, our goal is to give customers the programming they want to watch. Our agreement with MASN to offer the Nationals to our customers further demonstrates our commitment to that goal.”

Verizon launched FiOS TV in Keller, Texas, on Sept. 22, with a broad collection of all-digital programming including more than 330 channels and more on the way. Verizon provides the service via its fiber-to-the-premises network, which unleashes an amazingly lifelike TV picture and also delivers Internet download speeds of up to 30 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds of up to 5 Mbps as well as high-quality voice services.

Verizon will soon announce the first availability of FiOS TV in the Mid-Atlantic region, where it will offer MASN as part of its popular Expanded Basic lineup. Verizon has franchises to offer its fiber-optic powered FiOS TV in Herndon, Fairfax County and Fairfax City, and is negotiating with additional municipalities in Virginia and Maryland for the authority to offer TV there.

In addition, Verizon has obtained video franchises in California, Florida, Massachusetts and New York as well as in Texas, where a landmark new law allows Verizon and other new video entrants to obtain state-issued franchises that meet the financial needs of communities while bringing TV choice to consumers more quickly.

About Mid-Atlantic Sports Network

MASN is the television home of the Washington Nationals in the mid-Atlantic region. During the 2005 season, MASN produced and distributed 156 Washington Nationals baseball games, and will continue to do so for years to come. MASN provide the Washington Nationals “a guaranteed local TV revenue stream that will rank in the sport’s top 10,” according to the Washington Post.

About Verizon Communications Inc.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), a Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other communication innovations to wireline and wireless customers. Verizon operates America’s most reliable wireless network, serving 49.3 million customers nationwide, and one of the nation’s premier wireline networks, serving home, business and wholesale customers in 28 states. Based in New York, Verizon has a diverse workforce of nearly 215,000 and generates annual revenues of more than $71 billion from four business segments: Domestic Telecom, Domestic Wireless, Information Services and International. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

Contact Information

Sharon Cohen-Hagar

Verizon Communications Inc.

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