Umbrella Coverage Lets Customers Turn to Verizon to Ease PC, TV, Phone Woes

NEW YORK, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Call it the digital nightmare: Your laptop freezes in the middle of creating a critical document. Your expensive, flat-panel TV stops working the day before the Super Bowl. Your equipment warranty has expired, and although the phone directory is full of repair shops, you don't know whether you can trust any of them. If only one company could just make it all right!

Verizon is now providing its customers with peace of mind in the form of new Expert Care service plans that offer 24 x 7 in-depth technical support for computer software and hardware problems, as well as repair or replacement coverage for computers, TVs and telephone equipment.

'Because customers trust us for their home entertainment and communications needs, they also want us to help them resolve problems with the growing number of sophisticated consumer electronics devices throughout their homes,' said Peter Castleton, executive director of Verizon corporate marketing. 'We developed Expert Care to give customers the kind of support they need to keep their digital home networks humming.'

Expert Care offers three types of service plans providing consumers a wide range of choices in coverage and support for low monthly or one-time fees that can be added to consumers' Verizon bills. The plans are:

Device Protection -- Provides repair or replacement of multiple computers, TVs and telephones regardless of age, size or place of purchase. The plans range from $4.99 to $19.99 a month, depending on the equipment covered, and may also include repair or replacement of original equipment remote controls, keyboards, mice, monitors and backup batteries for Verizon's FiOS service.

Premium Technical Support -- Offers a 10-month subscription plan, priced at $14.99 a month, which includes telephone and online support for issues such as virus and spyware detection and removal, virtual private network problems, help with firewalls, problems with computer operating systems, gaming connectivity problems, and software and hardware help. Telephone and online technical support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Premium Onsite Support -- Provided in partnership with Circuit City's firedog, this plan includes onsite support ranging from operating system installations to full PC and home network setups, billed on a per-use basis. There are several offerings, tailored to specific needs and priced from $99.99 to $249.99.

Details of coverage and prices are available at www.verizon.net/expertcare.

Verizon customers can also contact a customer care representative by calling 877-718-6715.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving nearly 69 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 228,600 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

firedog PC repair and optimization services are available at Circuit City Stores nationwide. PC techs also make house calls and are even available online 24/7 at www.firedog.com. Firedog online services have received 'Editors' Choice' recognition from PC Magazine and Laptop Magazine. Home theater installation services are available within 30 miles of Circuit City stores. firedog also installs and repairs automotive electronics at Circuit City stores nationwide.

Circuit City Stores, Inc. (NYSE: CC) is a leading specialty retailer of consumer electronics and related services. The domestic segment operates through 669 Superstores and 13 other locations in 158 U.S. markets. The international segment operates through approximately 800 retail stores and dealer outlets in Canada. Circuit City also operates Web sites at http://www.circuitcity.com, http://www.thesource.ca and http://www.firedog.com.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

SOURCE Verizon