Verizon inks FTTP deal with Pulte Homes

September 22, 2004 New York, NY -- A marketing agreement between Verizon and Pulte Homes will give Pulte home buyers access to Verizon's premium bundle of communications services, including broadband services over fiber-optic connections directly to the home.

The agreement to pre-install fiber to new homes reinforces Verizon's aggressive rollout of fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) technology to provide broadband services directly to homes and businesses, the carrier says. Verizon announced its FTTP program May 19 in Keller, Texas, and recently expanded it to include FTTP deployments in Florida and California. Verizon also has announced its high-speed Internet access products -- called Fios -- which will be offered over FTTP technology.

Pulte homeowners will be advised by Pulte sales staff of the communications technology available in their new community and will be able to order advanced services from Verizon. Pulte builds approximately 8,000 homes each year in Verizon service areas in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Florida, Texas, and California.

Pulte communities will receive "priority consideration" for fiber installation in new residential communities, allowing Pulte to promote Verizon's next-generation suite of voice, high-speed Internet, and video services. Internet access via DSL will remain available in many of Pulte's existing and new communities.

Three Pulte communities in California are scheduled to receive the new fiber technology: Sun City Shadow Hills, a 2,350-home "active adult" community in Indio; Solera by Del Webb, an active adult community, and The Estates at Apple Valley, both totaling 2,260 homes in Apple Valley; and Ridgemont Heights, a 235-home community in Adelanto.

"This agreement with Pulte positions Verizon services as the kind of versatile, high-value communications package customers have come to expect in the emerging era of broadband," said Marilyn O'Connell, senior vice president of broadband solutions and new products for Verizon. "Within a few months, we intend to install fiber to homes in these four Pulte developments in California -- a sign of things to come as America embraces its broadband future and we make it possible."

According to John Stoller, senior vice president for Pulte Homes, the alliance with Verizon and the commitment to offer the latest in technology and service reinforce the Pulte reputation for quality and value. "We are pleased with Verizon's commitment to provide fiber and state-of-the art communications services to our home buyers," he said. "As high-speed Internet services continue to evolve and provide meaningful communications and entertainment offerings to our customers, having this leading edge technology available in our communities will be increasingly attractive to our home buyers."